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
Christopher ClareyExamples 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
At the Tokyo premiere of Wicked on Feb. 19, Ariana Grande faced a slight sartorial gaffe.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Even when the incoming president was first indicted in New York in March 2023, an event that rallied Republican support around his candidacy after a series of gaffes and in a crowded field, more than two-thirds of voters surveyed in one poll believed the prosecution was politically motivated.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, there have been many articles and books commemorating the milestone; one of the latter made headlines Friday for a publicity gaffe involving Tina Fey and Jon Hamm.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 17 Feb. 2025
Unlike her parents, who have committed a handful of regrettable gaffes (including going on holiday to Greece during a Covid lockdown), Catharina-Amalia seems to have her finger on the pulse of the nation.
—Rebecca Cope, Vogue, 25 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
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Michelle Lee, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Even when the incoming president was first indicted in New York in March 2023, an event that rallied Republican support around his candidacy after a series of gaffes and in a crowded field, more than two-thirds of voters surveyed in one poll believed the prosecution was politically motivated.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, there have been many articles and books commemorating the milestone; one of the latter made headlines Friday for a publicity gaffe involving Tina Fey and Jon Hamm.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 17 Feb. 2025
Unlike her parents, who have committed a handful of regrettable gaffes (including going on holiday to Greece during a Covid lockdown), Catharina-Amalia seems to have her finger on the pulse of the nation.
—Rebecca Cope, Vogue, 25 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gaffe
Cite this Entry
“Gaffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaffe. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gaffe
noun
: a noticeable mistake especially of manners
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