1
as in blunder
a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
committed a huge gaffe when she started drinking from the finger bowl
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2
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
so-called debates, which seemed to be mainly about seeing which candidate made the most gaffes
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Examples of gaffe in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
Not that the storms led to some irredeemable gaffe or unveiled some salacious scandal.
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Vox Staff, Vox, 24 Oct. 2024
The Harris campaign posted on social media multiple clips of Walz’s comments from the same segment, including one with the gaffe, and also shared an MSNBC clip in which a college voter slammed Vance’s claim that school shootings should be addressed by beefing up school security.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024
Candidates need to look down to earth, but as a gaffe said on stage or the wrong decision made while ordering a sandwich during a campaign stop, the wrong meme can have a lasting impact.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 26 Sep. 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
See all Example Sentences for gaffe 
Vox Staff, Vox, 24 Oct. 2024
The Harris campaign posted on social media multiple clips of Walz’s comments from the same segment, including one with the gaffe, and also shared an MSNBC clip in which a college voter slammed Vance’s claim that school shootings should be addressed by beefing up school security.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024
Candidates need to look down to earth, but as a gaffe said on stage or the wrong decision made while ordering a sandwich during a campaign stop, the wrong meme can have a lasting impact.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 26 Sep. 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
See all Example Sentences for gaffe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaffe
Noun
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The blunder not only allowed a run to score, but extended an inning that would eventually see the Dodgers erase a 5-0 deficit.David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
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The primary issues facing this company highlighted by Jana are capital misallocation, a series of operational blunders and corporate governance failings.Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Here are some of the characteristics of second best parenting: Welcomes mistakes.Jazmin Towe, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024
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Actual possession of a weapon is irrelevant and mistakes happen, Stephens said in court, adding that what matters is how Hill’s hand was presented with a glint of steel.Deon J. Hampton, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024
Noun
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There was also the larger error of anointing Harris without political competition — an insult to the democratic process that handed the nomination to a candidate who, as some of us warned at the time, was exceptionally weak.Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Recent polling from the Free Press had indicated that Harris appeared to have a slight, 3-percentage-point lead on Trump in Michigan, though that was within the poll's 4-percentage-point margin of error.Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
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McKissic writes that evangelical leaders' acceptance of Trump despite his alleged immoral conduct is hypocritical, contrasting it with their past condemnation of former President Bill Clinton's indiscretions.David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
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There is no rock left unturned and no indiscretion unfound.Lisa Stardust, People.com, 12 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Some of the gear commonly used for technical climbing, like gaffs—steel spikes worn on the legs for added grip on the tree trunk when cutting branches—can also cause inadvertent damage to the tallest trees.Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 7 Aug. 2024
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Dana Taylor: How can people determine the difference between just a normal gaff and when there's actually something wrong?Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near gaffe
Cite this Entry
“Gaffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffe. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
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