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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of faux pas
Yet, the number of travel faux pas tourists make while strolling the streets of Milan, meandering through ancient ruins in Athens, or cruising around the Mediterranean remains pretty high, considering the increase in visits to Europe's major cities.
—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2026
Here are six times Hannah and Paige ruthlessly roasted each other's fashion faux pas.
—
Caroline Killilea,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Breakfast tacos 101 On another essential Texas matter, Talarico’s meatless taco order reignited the rumors that the Democrat was committing a Texan faux pas.
—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
While the bizarre urge to chuck things at rock stars performing music onstage has been around since the advent of, well, rock stars and stages, it’s increasingly frowned upon and widely considered the ultimate concert faux pas.
—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for faux pas
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2026
Here are six times Hannah and Paige ruthlessly roasted each other's fashion faux pas.
—
Caroline Killilea,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Breakfast tacos 101 On another essential Texas matter, Talarico’s meatless taco order reignited the rumors that the Democrat was committing a Texan faux pas.
—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
While the bizarre urge to chuck things at rock stars performing music onstage has been around since the advent of, well, rock stars and stages, it’s increasingly frowned upon and widely considered the ultimate concert faux pas.
—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for faux pas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faux pas
Noun
-
That ended his day after five innings of one-run ball, with just one mistake — a slider that Manny Machado clobbered for a solo homer — against him.
-
Will this turn into a tragic mistake Daemon soon regrets?
Noun
-
Sometimes this was committed to good, such as the Marshall Plan and the Peace Corps, and sometimes to ill, as in a series of military blunders meant to quash godless Communism.
-
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also fallen foul of Germany’s World Cup elimination by Paraguay, after stumbling into a social media debacle following a communications blunder.
Noun
-
Third baseman Ryan McMahon also committed a throwing error, New York's 19th in its last 14 games.
-
England is hoping karma is on its side after a famous goal-scoring error sealed a World Cup loss to Argentina 40 years ago at Azteca Stadium.
Cite this Entry
“Faux pas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faux%20pas. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
