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
Relevance
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
-
The Royals made two critical such blunders in a 7-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
-
Delinquent financing, lawsuits, project delays, construction blunders and defects, evidence that some workers were forced to live in an East Bay warehouse, allegations of slave labor, and a death haunted the property while Z&L owned it.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
19 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
-
But a subtler disruption is occurring underneath the cheating concerns and efficiency metrics.—
Shannon McKeen,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Don’t be fooled into thinking napkin rings aren’t noticed.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
-
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
-
Café receipts keep climbing, and the math is starting to sting.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
-
The Sacramento Bee gathered information on what kinds of jellyfish you can be found on the coast, whether their sting is harmful to humans and what to do if you get stung.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaff. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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