gaffe

noun

ˈgaf How to pronounce gaffe (audio)
Synonyms of gaffe
1
: a social or diplomatic blunder
committed an embarrassing gaffe when he mispronounced her name
2
: a noticeable mistake
Kwan did not fall today, as she had in Friday's short program, a gaffe that left her in fourth place.—Christopher Clarey

Synonyms of gaffe

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Examples of gaffe in a Sentence

He realized that he had committed an awful gaffe when he mispronounced her name. committed a huge gaffe when she started drinking from the finger bowl
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The April vote followed drops in polling for National, while this week’s followed recent public remarks Luxon had made on various issues that some in his party saw as gaffes. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 His gaffe was especially costly, because the team lost in 13 innings the night before and taxed its bullpen. — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026 Hilton, 48, made a name in the early 2000s publicizing and sometimes belittling celebrities who made public gaffes or otherwise found themselves in trouble with the law. — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2026 The gaffe allowed Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros — who had hit a one-out single — to score from second. — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gaffe

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, probably a sense development of gaffe gaff entry 1

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gaffe was in 1909

Rhymes for gaffe

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Browse Nearby Words

gaff
gaffe
gaffer
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Cite this Entry

“Gaffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaffe. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gaffe

noun
ˈgaf How to pronounce gaffe (audio)
: a noticeable mistake especially of manners

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Nglish: Translation of gaffe for Spanish Speakers

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