noun
gaffe
GAF
Gaffe (noun) means an embarrassing mistake made in public, especially something tactless said in front of the wrong people. Example: “The minister's gaffe about pensioners dominated the evening news.”
noun
1
An embarrassing mistake made in public, especially something tactless said in front of the wrong people.
"The minister's gaffe about pensioners dominated the evening news."
"He made the classic gaffe of forgetting the host's name mid-toast."
How to use gaffe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSaying or doing something publicly embarrassing by accident.
When to use it
Neutral in journalism, where it is standard for political slips; slightly literary in casual speech.
Memory tip
Note the double f and final e. A gaff with one f is a fishing hook or, in British slang, a person's home.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
political gaffe
commit a gaffe
gaffe-prone
embarrassing gaffe
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The minister's _____ about pensioners dominated the evening news.
Etymology
From French gaffe, a boat hook, which came to be used figuratively for a clumsy blunder.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for gaffe
See all rhymes for gaffe →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a gaffe and a faux pas?
They overlap heavily. A faux pas is a breach of etiquette, such as arriving in jeans to a black-tie dinner. A gaffe is more often a verbal slip that reveals something you should not have said, and it usually happens in public.
What is the difference between gaffe and gaff?
A gaffe is an embarrassing blunder. A gaff is a pole with a hook for landing fish, a spar on a sail, or in British slang someone's house.
What is a 'Kinsley gaffe'?
It is a term used in political journalism for the case where a politician gets into trouble not for misspeaking but for accidentally saying what they truly believe. The embarrassment comes from the candour, not the error.
What is the meaning of gaffe?
"gaffe" (noun) means an embarrassing mistake made in public, especially something tactless said in front of the wrong people.
