as in mistake
a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
according to an oft-told story, the queen set a guest at ease about a faux pas by politely imitating it
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Recent Examples of faux pas
Despite his farting faux pas, Jason recently told PEOPLE that the couple’s daughters enjoy their own time in the ice rink.
—
Rachel McRady, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025
Stick to the Dress Code Run your outfit past the bride and groom to avoid any fashion faux pas.
—Marisa Polansky and Kristine Keller, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
In other findings culled from The Harris Poll, shoppers were asked to rank their top holiday faux pas.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, WWD, 4 Dec. 2024
Newsweek asked some of America's top etiquette experts: What is the biggest faux pas a Thanksgiving guest can commit?
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for faux pas
Rachel McRady, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025
Stick to the Dress Code Run your outfit past the bride and groom to avoid any fashion faux pas.
—Marisa Polansky and Kristine Keller, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
In other findings culled from The Harris Poll, shoppers were asked to rank their top holiday faux pas.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, WWD, 4 Dec. 2024
Newsweek asked some of America's top etiquette experts: What is the biggest faux pas a Thanksgiving guest can commit?
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for faux pas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faux pas
Noun
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This makes people more forgiving when leaders make mistakes.—
Tendayi Viki,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
How does that kind of high-consequence mistake happen?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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After coalescing with ultranationalists to establish the nation's furthest right government in late 2022, the former special forces commando who had already become Israel's longest serving premier largely deflected criticism over the intelligence blunder of October 7, 2023.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
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Yet, the Trump White House and leading Republicans in Congress have tried mightily to put a positive spin on the colossal blunder, even as Democrats pounced on it.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The lawsuit claims medical errors happened during the procedure, which led to the bowel perforation.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2025
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All the results were just outside margins of error.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Faux pas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faux%20pas. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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