1
as in blunders
a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
committed a huge gaffe when she started drinking from the finger bowl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mistakes
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of gaffes
Other entries on the list reflect a mix of political gaffes, conspiracy theories and social commentary.
—
Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
The district still leans red, and Hurd, an attorney, is a more temperate conservative than his predecessor, with fewer gaffes.
—Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
The strategy has drawn some scrutiny in recent days, with the national CBS News arm involved in a handful of gaffes.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 15 Oct. 2024
Since being tapped as Harris' running-mate in August, Walz has faced scrutiny for a trail of past misstatements and gaffes.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 10 Oct. 2024
Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz defended his record as the governor of Minnesota and discussed everything from Middle East policy to his past misstatements and gaffes during a rare national television appearance Sunday.
—Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024
One of the most memorable gaffes of the night came when Walz was asked about his time in China.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
Walz, meanwhile, stumbled through answers, appeared stiff and got caught in several gaffes.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
His mission is to do that while also avoiding his own gaffes.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2024
Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
The district still leans red, and Hurd, an attorney, is a more temperate conservative than his predecessor, with fewer gaffes.
—Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
The strategy has drawn some scrutiny in recent days, with the national CBS News arm involved in a handful of gaffes.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 15 Oct. 2024
Since being tapped as Harris' running-mate in August, Walz has faced scrutiny for a trail of past misstatements and gaffes.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 10 Oct. 2024
Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz defended his record as the governor of Minnesota and discussed everything from Middle East policy to his past misstatements and gaffes during a rare national television appearance Sunday.
—Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024
One of the most memorable gaffes of the night came when Walz was asked about his time in China.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
Walz, meanwhile, stumbled through answers, appeared stiff and got caught in several gaffes.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
His mission is to do that while also avoiding his own gaffes.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near gaffes
Cite this Entry
“Gaffes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffes. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share