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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of gaff
Abigail Dubiniecki, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
About two minutes before his gaff, Connor Bedard scored a power-play goal (Martin Pospíšil had committed a boarding major against Taylor Hall) to help the Hawks draw within 4-2.
—Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
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
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
See All Example Sentences for gaff
Noun
Privacy and cybersecurity training are supposed to prevent costly and embarrassing employee gaffs.
—Abigail Dubiniecki, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
About two minutes before his gaff, Connor Bedard scored a power-play goal (Martin Pospíšil had committed a boarding major against Taylor Hall) to help the Hawks draw within 4-2.
—Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
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
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
See All Example Sentences for gaff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaff
Noun
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Chisholm getting thrown out on the bases might be the most egregious of the team’s mental mistakes this season.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Development Tomorrow One of the most common mistakes in evaluating new markets is focusing solely on what’s already built.—
Mkhitar Hayrapetyan,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Its acquisitions in consumer banking were at worst blunders and at best decent deals struck in pursuit of a doomed strategy.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
21 July 2025
-
Consider how McDonald's had to end an experiment with AI drive-thru ordering due to blunders that led to customer frustration and viral videos on social media.—
Rishi Kumar,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
Verb
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In the ensuing hours, Hernandez asked several times to go home, said the officers were trying to trick him, sobbed, clutched at his stomach, lay on the floor in a fetal position, had a fentanyl patch placed on his chest to treat his chronic pain, and mentioned his mental illness diagnoses.—
Joaquin Sapien,
ProPublica,
28 July 2025
-
In the series, Haddix revealed to the audience that Tonka was alive and celebrated her tricking the court.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
Two cars owned by Penske, were forced to start from the back of this year’s Indy 500 because of a cheating scandal.—
Bill Koenig,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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The cheating rumors were intensified online, but what is the truth?—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
29 July 2025
Noun
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Without a robust knowledge foundation, these early wins can mask serious risks—from compliance breaches to costly decision errors.—
Stéphane Donzé,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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Pilot error caused the crash, according to a final report from the National Transportation Safety Board.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
His impersonation is so convincing that Lu and Shin are initially fooled.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
-
Don’t let the size fool you—this ultra-compact charger delivers impressive speed and efficiency for its footprint.—
Becca Blond,
Travel + Leisure,
13 July 2025
Verb
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The bees became aggressive and stung the man multiple times.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
9 July 2025
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Opting for a two-piece swimsuit in favor of a one-piece could also reduce your chances of getting stung.—
Evan Moore
July 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Earlier, the Chicago Cubs beat Cleveland 6-5 in 13 innings when Andres Blanco came home on Kerry Wood’s gaffe. 2011 — The Florida Marlins named Jack McKeon interim manager.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2025
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There are benefits to waiting; Apple has largely been able to avoid the embarrassing AI gaffes of its rivals, with one exception.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaff. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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