1
as in blunder
a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
committed a huge gaffe when she started drinking from the finger bowl
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
so-called debates, which seemed to be mainly about seeing which candidate made the most gaffes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gaffe
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
The latest gaffe came Saturday in the Broncos’ 41-25 win over New Mexico, when the Lobos’ Damon Bankston had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2025
McMillan’s early gaffe highlighted his growing pains as a rookie wide receiver.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
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
The latest gaffe came Saturday in the Broncos’ 41-25 win over New Mexico, when the Lobos’ Damon Bankston had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2025
McMillan’s early gaffe highlighted his growing pains as a rookie wide receiver.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaffe
Noun
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Potential adversaries interpret political action in zero-sum terms; see malice and evil design in mere blunders and coincidence; trumpet necessity rather than navigate choice; and, in extreme cases, invent pretext or promise profit to make more palatable a dubious cause.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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In the aftermath of the expensive blunder, Schwarzman was quickly pulled aside by an investor.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Let the rookie learn on the fly, make mistakes, and grow.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
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Get your fruit trees off to a strong start by avoiding these common planting mistakes.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The defence remains porous, error-prone and vulnerable on corners.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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The Times’ error immediately garnered write-ups in The Washington Post, The New York Times, New York Magazine, and other outlets.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Navratilova’s practiced that forgiveness, even now as Lemigova finds herself amid a sea of public scrutiny for exposing her indiscretion on the reunion stage.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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Once Jem enters Ray’s remote, Spartan cabin in the woods, a whirlwind of indiscretions, family legacies, abusive authority figures, and even past dealings with the IRA get revisited through conversations told mostly near the fireplace.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Half an hour later Denio had worked the fish up from the bottom near their boat, where crew members sunk a large flying gaff into it.—
Bob McNally,
Outdoor Life,
4 Sep. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Gaffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffe. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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