1
as in blunder
a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
you can expect to make some amusing gaffs until you get more familiar with the language
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
double-check the new writer's grammar, as it's typically riddled with gaffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
a sleazy schemer who gaffed gullible people into thinking they could get rich with a money-making opportunity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the operators of the traveling carnival had gaffed patrons with a variety of time-honored ruses
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gaff
Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Cockfighting draws scrutiny, too, with homes searched for steroids or gaffs — the sharp blades that get strapped to a fighting rooster’s feet.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Dec. 2025
Our crew were the boat’s recently wed co-owners, Watson and Stella Marina, experienced sailors who bought the 1938 Danish gaff cutter in 2020 and now run trips out of Cornwall and the west coast of Scotland from April to September.
—Alexander Barlow, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2025
Crowe leaped from the boat with a fishing gaff and, after several fumbles, managed to flip the trembling, bloodied creature onto the bow deck.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaff
Noun
Jodie Foster had a funny live gaff during her Tuesday, Jan. 6 appearance on the Today show.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Cockfighting draws scrutiny, too, with homes searched for steroids or gaffs — the sharp blades that get strapped to a fighting rooster’s feet.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Dec. 2025
Our crew were the boat’s recently wed co-owners, Watson and Stella Marina, experienced sailors who bought the 1938 Danish gaff cutter in 2020 and now run trips out of Cornwall and the west coast of Scotland from April to September.
—Alexander Barlow, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2025
Crowe leaped from the boat with a fishing gaff and, after several fumbles, managed to flip the trembling, bloodied creature onto the bow deck.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaff
Noun
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For the game, for the third straight game, the Lakers made bunches of mistakes that became bunches of baskets, this time 17 blunders that became 30 Oklahoma City points.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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In a recent tactical blunder, the first lady’s farcical rollout of a teacher robot made unusually clear what this administration really thinks of children, teachers and schools.—
Randi Weingarten,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Both Velez and Farbstein gave me the 411 on what traveler mistakes can back up the security line.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
-
The third mistake is using wine that is not cold enough.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Anchoring, scarcity and choice architecture aren’t about tricking people.—
David Meade,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
The church hosts sure love tricking us into eating raw broccoli by serving it up in this creamy pasta salad.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Verb
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But a subtler disruption is occurring underneath the cheating concerns and efficiency metrics.—
Shannon McKeen,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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Saints tried to cheat to get the win, but referee Charles Robinson caught him and stopped his count.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
It was so well presented with countless references to viral moments and gaffes.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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Granted, Becerra has had a hard week, with a gaffe with a reporter that went viral and a plea deal by a former aide in that case of money misappropriated from his dormant campaign account.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The Knights fell behind 3-0 after Canyon’s Mia Saenz hit a two-run home run and added another run on an error.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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Instead, Adames committed an inexcusable baserunning error by forgetting how many outs there were in the seventh inning, allowing Ohtani to complete seven scoreless innings as the Giants’ three-game winning streak was snapped.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Don’t be fooled into thinking napkin rings aren’t noticed.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
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But this case shows how quickly a 401(k) can become a target when someone has enough personal information to fool a call center or reset account access.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Despite Philadelphia winning 45 games this season, despite the Sixers improving dramatically on last season, and despite Philly winning a first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, the loss to New York will still sting, as Philadelphia heads into the summer.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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Now owned by the National Gallery in London, the painting, showing Roman god Cupid complaining to his mother Venus about being stung by bees, can be seen in the center of a blurry, black-and-white photograph dating to the 1940s that was published in a 1978 furniture catalog.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaff. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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