faux pas

noun

ˈfō-ˌpä 

fō-ˈpä

plural faux pas ˈfō-ˌpä(z) 

fō-ˈpä(z)

: a significant or embarrassing error or mistake : blunder

Long, hot soaks in winter are a classic faux pas, since exposure to extreme heat after having been in the cold can cause small visible blood vessels to appear at the skin's surface.

—Elle

especially : a socially awkward or improper act or remark

Audiences must be supportive and enthusiastic—lots of clapping, no heckling. (And talking on cellphones during the performance is a huge faux pas).

—Claudine Ise

… when I sauntered into the main dining room for my first breakfast, I realized I was the only person showing his legs. Careless faux pas, or was I being overly sensitive to the local culture?

—David Swanson

Campaigning last year seemed to convince her that she can venture out alone without making costly faux pas.

—Time Magazine

It was not until I'd covered about fifty kilometers that I committed my most terrible social faux pas yet: I overtook another cyclist.

—Polly Evans

Synonyms

• familiarity
• gaff
• gaffe
• impropriety
• indiscretion
• solecism

Examples of faux pas in a Sentence

Arriving too early would be a serious faux pas.

according to an oft-told story, the queen set a guest at ease about a faux pas by politely imitating it

Recent Examples on the Web

Lisa Richey, Founder of Manners to Go As a guest, the biggest Thanksgiving faux pas is steering the conversation toward politics. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024

In the movie, this theme is played out as Jimmy’s spirit grows more and more malevolent, showing that disrupting the natural order of life and death isn’t just a faux pas in the realm of witchcraft but a dangerous road that can never truly lead to happiness or closure. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 19 Oct. 2024

Sending out a gift list unprompted, for example, could be a pearl-clutching faux pas. —Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2024

What to Do Before an Estate Sale Familiarize Yourself with the Rules Sometimes, a little research ahead of time can save you from an embarrassing—and likely unintentional—etiquette faux pas. —Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, false step

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined above