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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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
That’s too long for anyone, even a champion of rhetorical rope-a-dope, to go without gaffes—which was part of the point.
—
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
The Yankees would like to see some improvement there between now and Opening Day after some gaffes this spring and last September.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
At the luxury restaurant, however, that clientele will expect much richer compensation if a service gaffe ruins the patrons’ evening.
—Jon Picoult, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Twists and gaffes happening at the tail end of a race—for which this year’s voting round ended on Tuesday—are nothing new.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
The Yankees would like to see some improvement there between now and Opening Day after some gaffes this spring and last September.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
At the luxury restaurant, however, that clientele will expect much richer compensation if a service gaffe ruins the patrons’ evening.
—Jon Picoult, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Twists and gaffes happening at the tail end of a race—for which this year’s voting round ended on Tuesday—are nothing new.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaffe
Noun
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But the team with the biggest quarterback blunder from 2018 was the Arizona Cardinals, who made the decision to trade up to the No. 10 pick to take Josh Rosen.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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This week’s White House Report Card could have been a bad one, considering court rulings against President Donald Trump, staffing blunders, and a lack of movement on his tariff war that is starting to scare his supporters.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Justice Department lawyers contend FBI agents acted in good faith despite the mistake and shouldn't be second-guessed by the courts.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Many twenty-year veterans still make rookie mistakes while quick-learning newcomers can rapidly surpass them in both skills and results.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Graham Pauley singled and advanced to third when a fielder’s choice turned into a throwing error on Bohm.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2025
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Kyren Paris reached on an error by Matt Chapman at third, with Chapman cutting in front of Adames with the ball bounding into the outfield to bring Neto home with the second run.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Some will see this as a stain on his reputation, others will shrug their shoulders and say that football has never been an especially moral place, and that worse things are happening out there than accounting indiscretions.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
3 Apr. 2025
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Smith lightened the level of the indiscretion, which goes deeper in Molnar’s version.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Transport boxes, electronic scales and gaffs, sharp blades that can be attached to roosters' legs during fights, were found on the property, the news statement said.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
15 Feb. 2025
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Anglers need both an angling license and a recreational turtle license to harvest turtles using angling gear like hook and line, landing nets and gaff hooks.—
Kay Johnson,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gaffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffe. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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