1
: a social or diplomatic blunder
committed an embarrassing gaffe when he mispronounced her name
2
: a noticeable mistake
Kwan did not fall today, as she had in Friday's short program, a gaffe that left her in fourth place.—
Christopher Clarey
Christopher ClareyExamples of gaffe in a Sentence
He realized that he had committed an awful gaffe when he mispronounced her name.
committed a huge gaffe when she started drinking from the finger bowl
Recent Examples on the Web
Smart and well-timed, but a gaffe nonetheless.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2025
In 2024, then-President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid after a series of gaffes and a poor debate performance raised concerns about his cognitive state.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Melvin’s co-hosts also shared some of their own on-air gaffes, including Daly, 52, who had a story that left him feeling embarrassed.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
The New York City mayoral debate went by largely without incident, ending hopes from Zohran Mamdani’s opponents of a major gaffe that could dent his campaign momentum.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
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Troy Renck, Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2025
In 2024, then-President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid after a series of gaffes and a poor debate performance raised concerns about his cognitive state.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Melvin’s co-hosts also shared some of their own on-air gaffes, including Daly, 52, who had a story that left him feeling embarrassed.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
The New York City mayoral debate went by largely without incident, ending hopes from Zohran Mamdani’s opponents of a major gaffe that could dent his campaign momentum.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
Cite this Entry
“Gaffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaffe. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gaffe
noun
: a noticeable mistake especially of manners
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