indiscretion

noun

in·​dis·​cre·​tion ˌin-di-ˈskre-shən 

1

: lack of discretion : imprudence

dietary indiscretion

2

a

: something (such as an act or remark) marked by lack of discretion

characterized his binge drinking in college as a youthful indiscretion

b

: an act at variance with the accepted morality of a society

resigned because of financial indiscretions

Synonyms of indiscretion

• blunder
• mistake
• error
• solecism

Examples of indiscretion in a Sentence

She committed a few minor indiscretions.

put the incident down as just a youthful indiscretion

Recent Examples on the Web

Her amour fou with lothario bartender Jax Taylor set the tone for a soap whose throughline was infidelity, with the women repeatedly sleuthing out their boyfriends’ indiscretions as the men tried to cover for each other. —Judy Berman, Time, 4 Dec. 2025

Personal indiscretions once seen as disqualifying, such as the extramarital affair that chased Gary Hart from the 1988 presidential race, scarcely raise an eyebrow. —Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025

His indiscretion did not have to be a defining moment, Coles told him. —Dan Pompei, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025

Here’s where the show does have some awareness about its characters’ problematic indiscretions, and Carrington pushes back to point out that a relationship with a trans woman isn’t anything to be ashamed of. —Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing indiscretion

• youthful indiscretion

Rhymes for indiscretion

• decompression
• dispossession
• intercession
• introgression
• nonaggression
• prepossession
• recompression
• repossession
• retrocession
• retrogression
• supersession
• accession

Kids Definition

indiscretion

noun

in·​dis·​cre·​tion ˌin-dis-ˈkresh-ən 

1

: lack of discretion : imprudence

2

: an indiscreet act or remark