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
For some, microwaving fish in the employee lunch room is the ultimate work faux pas.
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Ars Technica, 30 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for faux pas 
Ars Technica, 30 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for faux pas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faux pas
Noun
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Structured processes like those in the military, Pixar, and Google demonstrate how providing psychological safety and encouraging honest feedback can lead to learning from mistakes and continuous improvement.Thomas Bostick, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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Tickle’s rapid ascent hasn’t been without setbacks, and the 22-year-old has made a handful of high-profile mistakes.The Athletic UK Staff, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The blunder occurred during the triple toss-up round on Thursday, January 16.Aaron Rasmussen, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
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Scientists have long known that DNA-copying systems make the occasional blunder—that’s how cancers often start—but only in recent years has technology been sensitive enough to catalog every genetic booboo.Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communication line failure, theft, or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of the Media.USA TODAY, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
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There’s very little room for error if growth does not accelerate in the coming years.Trefis Team, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near faux pas
Cite this Entry
“Faux pas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faux%20pas. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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