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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Recent Examples of gaffe
But the Lions got their most recent win despite Goff’s gaffes.
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Larry Lage, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Nov. 2024
Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said Biden’s gaffe at least raised the question of whether the president had stepped on Harris’s moment.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024
Quarterback Will Howard, whose late clock-management gaffe doomed the Buckeyes in Eugene, has been impressive since.
—Stewart Mandel, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
The Bears’ second major special teams gaffe came in the third quarter when Carter was trying to call players off from touching a Vikings punt, and the ball bounced up and hit him in the leg.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gaffe 
Larry Lage, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Nov. 2024
Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said Biden’s gaffe at least raised the question of whether the president had stepped on Harris’s moment.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024
Quarterback Will Howard, whose late clock-management gaffe doomed the Buckeyes in Eugene, has been impressive since.
—Stewart Mandel, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
The Bears’ second major special teams gaffe came in the third quarter when Carter was trying to call players off from touching a Vikings punt, and the ball bounced up and hit him in the leg.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gaffe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaffe
Noun
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Some economists say Fed officials could be making a blunder that risks reigniting inflation and undercutting their pledge to rely on the latest data when making rate decisions.Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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Analysts said Ding made a crucial blunder in the deciding Game 14 that ultimately handed Gukesh the teen the title.Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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But getting the technology to follow open-ended commands reliably remains a challenge, with the risk that errors could translate into costly and hard-to-undo mistakes.Will Knight, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024
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In my experience, companies with strong safety capabilities typically have robust systems and processes that identify risks, are willing and able to learn from mistakes and proactively build resilience against the unexpected.Andreza Araujo, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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By empowering legal teams to achieve accurate, timely SEC compliance, his innovations help companies avoid costly errors and regulatory issues, ultimately supporting investor confidence and market integrity.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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Externalities can and do bring on higher prices without having anything to do with currency error.John Tamny, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Regardless of sincere apologies years after the indiscretions first occurred, ball players on the Astros were granted immunity during Major League Baseball’s investigation which was met with intense criticism.Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
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In the process, gossip comes to light, and indiscretions ruin the hopes of some.Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Some of the gear commonly used for technical climbing, like gaffs—steel spikes worn on the legs for added grip on the tree trunk when cutting branches—can also cause inadvertent damage to the tallest trees.Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 7 Aug. 2024
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Dana Taylor: How can people determine the difference between just a normal gaff and when there's actually something wrong?Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near gaffe
Cite this Entry
“Gaffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffe. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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