1
as in blunders
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 mistakes
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 tricks
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 stings
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
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Recent Examples of gaffs
Timia Cobb, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 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
Noun
Spurs on some of the chickens were cut excessively short to fit steel fighting gaffs and blades for more lethal fighting, deputies said.
—Timia Cobb, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaffs
Noun
-
Once again, Towns, who hadn’t gotten into foul trouble in what felt like a basketball eternity, pulled off a series of blunders, picking up two fouls in the game’s opening 62 seconds.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
-
Read on to see the beauty blunders, silly styling and overall head-to-toe outfits that these stars regret.—
Tanisha Bhat,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Defense attorney Alexandra Kazarian said California politicians are repeating age-old mistakes of trying to arrest their way out of a mental health crisis.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
Some mistakes also went viral, creating an embarrassing moment for McDonald's and raising questions about whether the technology was ready for the drive-thru.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Removing fading flowers and their seed pods tricks the plant to redirect its energy from producing seeds to producing more scapes and flower buds, as well as putting energy into root development and storing energy for the next growing season.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
-
Well, at least Cindy's been fighting the good fight, which Brenda tricks her into waging alone every time.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Nothing stings quite like being steps from getting your credit card out to make a glorious purchase, and finding that your promo code isn’t working.—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
-
If a memory stings during work, step away briefly, write a few lines, then return with cleaner focus for the task in front of you.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Canseco's misplay – one of the most infamous gaffes in sports history – similarly resulted in a home run for the other team.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
-
It was so well presented with countless references to viral moments and gaffes.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The danger of hallucinations means health officials must tread with caution, given the outsized impact that errors could have in the response to a public emergency.—
Alexis Akwagyiram,
semafor.com,
12 June 2026
-
The model writes the code, runs the tests, reads the errors, fixes the code, runs the tests again, and reports back when something is shipped.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Runway, Pika, and a dozen others can produce footage that fools the eye on first watch.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
What fools these non-OpenAI mortals must be.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Though Lesnar rarely cheats to win, Femi isn’t going to lose clean.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Five average players committed to protecting the middle of the ice are more effective than four great ones and one who cheats for offence.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gaffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffs. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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