1
as in mistake
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blunder
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of gaff
Abigail Dubiniecki, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
About two minutes before his gaff, Connor Bedard scored a power-play goal (Martin Pospíšil had committed a boarding major against Taylor Hall) to help the Hawks draw within 4-2.
—Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
Some of the gear commonly used for technical climbing, like gaffs—steel spikes worn on the legs for added grip on the tree trunk when cutting branches—can also cause inadvertent damage to the tallest trees.
—Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 7 Aug. 2024
Dana Taylor: How can people determine the difference between just a normal gaff and when there's actually something wrong?
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gaff
Noun
Privacy and cybersecurity training are supposed to prevent costly and embarrassing employee gaffs.
—Abigail Dubiniecki, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
About two minutes before his gaff, Connor Bedard scored a power-play goal (Martin Pospíšil had committed a boarding major against Taylor Hall) to help the Hawks draw within 4-2.
—Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
Some of the gear commonly used for technical climbing, like gaffs—steel spikes worn on the legs for added grip on the tree trunk when cutting branches—can also cause inadvertent damage to the tallest trees.
—Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 7 Aug. 2024
Dana Taylor: How can people determine the difference between just a normal gaff and when there's actually something wrong?
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gaff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaff
Noun
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What’s the most common mistake people make when trying to recreate the Honey Deuce at home?—
Emily Cappiello,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Austin Jackson told reporters last month that the players were behind the decision to run laps after committing penalties or mental mistakes in practice.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Over the past decade, the legendary team was known for tragic blunders regarding decision making and communication.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 July 2025
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In total, Bonilla will walk away with a $29.8 million payday because of Wilpon’s blunder.—
Allen Kim,
CNN Money,
1 July 2025
Verb
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The church hosts sure love tricking us into eating raw broccoli by serving it up in this creamy pasta salad.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
8 Aug. 2025
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Searching for an event, restaurant, or service online reduces the chance of being tricked by a malicious redirect or fraudulent site.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This year has already seen examples of AI systems willing to deceive, cheat and steal to achieve their goals.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
13 Aug. 2025
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And rebuilding trust – as anyone knows who has lied or cheated – is far harder than protecting it.—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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One 2025 study indicated that facial recognition tools had higher error rates for adults with Down syndrome.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors.—
Sid Evans,
Southern Living,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But don’t be fooled by the red planet’s Venusian trance.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Wild horses often nap on the sand like beachgoers — but don’t be fooled.—
Evan Moore
August 4,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As for the number of people stung, the beach patrol doesn’t have numbers.—
Todd Karpovich,
Baltimore Sun,
30 July 2025
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The other hallmark symptoms include swelling—especially around the lips, eyelids or extremities—and a burning or stinging sensation in affected areas.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Flow Space,
23 July 2025
Noun
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During his lone 2024 debate with Trump, then-President Biden struggled to finish complete thoughts, fumbled over words and made several embarrassing gaffes.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
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Due to this lip-syncing gaffe, the world realized these imposters were only pretending to be musicians.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaff. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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