1
as in blunders
a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
committed a huge gaffe when she started drinking from the finger bowl
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2
as in mistakes
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
so-called debates, which seemed to be mainly about seeing which candidate made the most gaffes
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Recent Examples of gaffes
The Yankees would like to see some improvement there between now and Opening Day after some gaffes this spring and last September.
—
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Twists and gaffes happening at the tail end of a race—for which this year’s voting round ended on Tuesday—are nothing new.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2025
Journalists and news organizations told the tech giant about a number of gaffes.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025
And those gaffes are pointed out in front of the whole team, even if they are committed by esteemed leaders.
—Mike Jones, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
And the Wildcats scored 19 points off of those errors, dwarfing the seven points the Terps converted from Northwestern’s 13 gaffes.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2025
Biden, who has faced heavy criticism in recent years for a series of gaffes and apparent mental lapses, mistakenly said that Hezbollah was responsible for the attack while making the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Even when the incoming president was first indicted in New York in March 2023, an event that rallied Republican support around his candidacy after a series of gaffes and in a crowded field, more than two-thirds of voters surveyed in one poll believed the prosecution was politically motivated.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Bouchard has had an uneven season so far with a few major defensive gaffes while having less success on the power play — a big team issue.
—Scott Powers, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Twists and gaffes happening at the tail end of a race—for which this year’s voting round ended on Tuesday—are nothing new.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2025
Journalists and news organizations told the tech giant about a number of gaffes.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025
And those gaffes are pointed out in front of the whole team, even if they are committed by esteemed leaders.
—Mike Jones, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
And the Wildcats scored 19 points off of those errors, dwarfing the seven points the Terps converted from Northwestern’s 13 gaffes.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2025
Biden, who has faced heavy criticism in recent years for a series of gaffes and apparent mental lapses, mistakenly said that Hezbollah was responsible for the attack while making the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Even when the incoming president was first indicted in New York in March 2023, an event that rallied Republican support around his candidacy after a series of gaffes and in a crowded field, more than two-thirds of voters surveyed in one poll believed the prosecution was politically motivated.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Bouchard has had an uneven season so far with a few major defensive gaffes while having less success on the power play — a big team issue.
—Scott Powers, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Gaffes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffes. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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