gaffing

verb

present participle of gaff
1
as in tricking
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in squeezing
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaffing
  1. tricking
  2. squeezing
  3. fooling
  4. cheating
  5. deceiving
  6. plucking
  7. teasing
  8. hustling
Verb
  • These fraudulent sites often mimic legitimate stores or rank high in search results, tricking desperate consumers into buying non-existent AC units.
    — Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • The schemes involve a predator pretending to be a teenager online and tricking victims into sending illicit photos of themselves.
    — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Definition of tricking
Verb
  • Planning a Broadway show night in New York City means squeezing a full day into the blocks around Times Square, and the right pre-Broadway show itinerary can turn a two-hour ticket into a memorable outing.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • The result is a new generation of patients planning trips around treatments rather than squeezing appointments into an existing vacation.
    — Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of squeezing
Verb
  • Throughout all the commotion, Romelu Lukaku acted as decoy, holding on to the ball, fooling everyone, including the TV producer, who pulled up a graphic showing his recent penalty record.
    — Geir Jordet, New York Times, 15 July 2026
  • Speaking on Harvard Business School’s The Founder Mindset podcast, hosted by senior lecturer and serial entrepreneur Reza Satchu, the Shark Tank investor argued that anyone trying to balance a young company against the rest of their life is fooling themselves.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 June 2026
Definition of fooling
Verb
  • The president used California, a favorite target, to hint that Democrats were cheating.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2026
  • The pair began arguing in Williams’ bedroom, during which Jones shut the door and could be heard accusing her of cheating, per the release.
    — Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Definition of cheating
Verb
  • Those figures, though, are a bit deceiving; infant and childhood mortality dragged them down dramatically.
    — Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 30 June 2026
  • Appearance, though, can be deceiving, but luckily, this shed is still packed with smart features and a clever design that will keep all your belongings safe.
    — Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 29 June 2026
Definition of deceiving
Verb
  • Unlike a razor, which simply cuts hair at the surface, an epilator removes it from the root by mechanically plucking multiple hairs at once.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 17 July 2026
  • One of Noe’s younger boys stood on a ladder under the orange tree, plucking fruit from the branches and chucking them to the ground, scattering the chickens.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Definition of plucking
Verb
  • After teasing us for a while, Volvo finally showed off the EX30 for real in 2023.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026
  • Nike has been teasing its forthcoming partnership with the German team throughout this World Cup.
    — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of teasing
Verb
  • These slim-fit mid-rise joggers look perfect for hustling around a busy airport, but are also stylish enough to wear while sightseeing.
    — Kaitlin Gates, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2026
  • Langford was injured during Friday’s game after hustling on a double.
    — Cal Phillips June 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026
Definition of hustling
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

gaffes
gaffing
gaffs
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Cite this Entry

“Gaffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffing. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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