Synonyms of gaffe

gaffe

noun

ˈgaf 

1

as in blunder

a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark

committed a huge gaffe when she started drinking from the finger bowl

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blunder
• mistake
• error
• indiscretion
• gaff
• solecism
• faux pas
• flub
• impropriety
• miscue
• familiarity
• misstep
• offense
• fumble
• slipup
• goof
• lapse
• discourtesy
• misstatement
• stumble
• miscalculation
• howler
• incivility
• misjudgment
• slip
• misconception
• oversight
• misunderstanding
• muff
• foul-up
• boner
• misapprehension

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gesture
• attention
• courtesy
• formality
• civility
• pleasantry
• form
• amenity
• manners
• mores
• proprieties

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mistake
• blunder
• error
• flub
• miscue
• fumble
• inaccuracy
• misstep
• gaff
• trip
• stumble
• slipup
• screwup
• clanger
• goof
• brick
• bobble
• lapse
• fault
• boob
• slip
• boo-boo
• clinker
• oversight
• fluff
• blooper
• pratfall
• howler
• snafu
• misunderstanding
• misstatement
• miscalculation
• bloomer
• misjudgment
• boner
• misinterpretation
• misreading
• misconception
• misconstruction
• foul-up
• miscomprehension
• misdescription
• misapprehension
• misimpression

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• precision
• accuracy
• correctness
• exactness
• exactitude
• strictness
• perfection
• infallibility
• preciseness
• inerrancy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of gaffe

Hilton, 48, made a name in the early 2000s publicizing and sometimes belittling celebrities who made public gaffes or otherwise found themselves in trouble with the law. — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2026

The gaffe allowed Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros — who had hit a one-out single — to score from second. — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

One of the five errors in the game was a gaffe by Bogaerts in the eighth inning that helped the Rockies take a 7-6 lead. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026

Damon, who stars as Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s new epic, was the subject of an embarrassing gaffe during Sunday’s telecast of the final game of the 2026 World Cup. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 19 July 2026