1
as in mistake
a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
you can expect to make some amusing gaffs until you get more familiar with the language
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blunder
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
double-check the new writer's grammar, as it's typically riddled with gaffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
a sleazy schemer who gaffed gullible people into thinking they could get rich with a money-making opportunity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the operators of the traveling carnival had gaffed patrons with a variety of time-honored ruses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gaff
Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
Sunday's cartoons - airline safety, teleprompter gaffs, and more
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By The Week US
published April 28, 2024
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber.
—The Week Us, theweek, 28 Apr. 2024
Despite the gaff, Redmaye is still hoping to sneak his son and daughter into the August Wilson Theatre in New York City to see his opening number.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 13 May 2024
Here are its scariest safety scandals Some fliers are thinking twice as scandals and gaffs pile up
Start Slideshow
The world got an uncomfortable reminder about the need to scrutinize air travel last January when a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines flight 16,000 feet over Portland, Oregon.
—Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gaff 
Noun
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
Sunday's cartoons - airline safety, teleprompter gaffs, and more
Newsletter sign up
By The Week US
published April 28, 2024
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber.
—The Week Us, theweek, 28 Apr. 2024
Despite the gaff, Redmaye is still hoping to sneak his son and daughter into the August Wilson Theatre in New York City to see his opening number.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 13 May 2024
Here are its scariest safety scandals Some fliers are thinking twice as scandals and gaffs pile up
Start Slideshow
The world got an uncomfortable reminder about the need to scrutinize air travel last January when a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines flight 16,000 feet over Portland, Oregon.
—Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gaff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaff
Noun
-
Expert instructors will teach you how to get started, practical uses, tips for effective prompt-writing, and mistakes to avoid.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Don’t act too quickly though, because using your oven’s self-cleaning function could be a huge mistake.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Just like when Trump recently helped legitimize Maduro by sending White House special envoy Richard Grenell to meet with the Venezuelan dictator and pose in smiling pictures with him, Trump’s de facto abandonment of pro-democracy groups in the hemisphere is a major blunder.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Foreign policy is hard, but this is just a very big early blunder.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Hackers also insert malware-laden files into chat threads, tricking users into downloading DLL files that enable system takeover.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
10 Feb. 2025
-
In February 2024, a woman who was tricked by a computer support scheme that mimicked Microsoft customer support, transferred around $550,000 to the suspects in two wire transfers.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Mark Darcy, however... While Daniel may have been able to cheat death, Mark, sadly, was not.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
12 Feb. 2025
-
He’s chosen to blatantly cheat and put millions of Americans’ lives at risk in an effort to hold on to power.—
Rebecca Schneid,
TIME,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The intended answer, 88 ounces, indicated that a programming or grading error had been made after the child had handed the paper over.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Maybe there are good reasons why Matty’s making so many unforced errors.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Don’t be fooled by its cheery name: Happy Face looks haunting.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
27 Jan. 2025
-
However, phishing is platform-agnostic, relying on fooling you, the user.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Should sting operations be left to the professionals?—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
4 Feb. 2025
-
The tariffs against Canada and Mexico are especially stinging due to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade pact that was a signature agreement under Trump’s first administration.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
1 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
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
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Cite this Entry
“Gaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaff. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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