gaff 1 of 2

noun

ˈgaf How to pronounce gaff (audio)
Definition of gaffnext
1
as in blunder
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mistake
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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gaff

2 of 2

verb

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

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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 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 gaff
Noun
Spurs on some of the chickens were cut excessively short to fit steel fighting gaffs and blades for more lethal fighting, deputies said. — Timia Cobb, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 2026 Cockfighting draws scrutiny, too, with homes searched for steroids or gaffs — the sharp blades that get strapped to a fighting rooster’s feet. — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Dec. 2025 Our crew were the boat’s recently wed co-owners, Watson and Stella Marina, experienced sailors who bought the 1938 Danish gaff cutter in 2020 and now run trips out of Cornwall and the west coast of Scotland from April to September. — Alexander Barlow, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2025 Crowe leaped from the boat with a fishing gaff and, after several fumbles, managed to flip the trembling, bloodied creature onto the bow deck. — Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gaff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaff
  1. blunder
  2. mistake
  3. trick
  4. cheat
  5. gaffe
  6. error
  7. fool
  8. sting
Noun
  • Adam Hamilton Hamilton, the Democratic nominee, has characterized the war as a major foreign policy blunder.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Holding her tongue is not Kate’s forte in general, and the severity of Todd’s avalanche of blunders in their meeting with the British foreign secretary tests the outer limits of her ability.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of blunder
Noun
  • In Kundassery’s view, the Democratic Party had made a critical mistake in the first few months of 2025.
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • To keep errors in check, each graph is shown to multiple volunteers, and their answers are combined so that individual mistakes average out, according to the project's website.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistake
Verb
  • Those conducting the online scams are sometimes willing con artists, and other times trafficked foreign nationals -- many Chinese -- tricked themselves into work and held in prison-like compounds.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • But a few times in recent years, Hollins, a veterinarian, tricked Jonathan and slid a cotton swab into the giant tortoise’s mouth to get a saliva sample.
    — Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • For example, if a model figures out a way to cheat to win a game, but the human running the training doesn’t spot the cheating, then the model will learn to cheat.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The move, orchestrated by Everett to satisfy the demands of the company’s top-dollar backers, cheats Michael out of his stock options and equity in the company.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheat
Noun
  • Shroff also said the debate produced no major gaffes or race-changing moments in a contest that has already attracted substantial national attention and spending.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But the clips are inescapable on my Instagram feed, and the science gaffes seem … real bad.
    — Brittany Trang, STAT, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of gaffe
Noun
  • Someone who visits the malicious website directly may see a 404 error page instead of the fake installer.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The experts, who had all studied AI in academic settings, all brought up the ironies of the automation problem, where AI makes errors that humans can’t catch.
    — Adam Clark Estes, Vox, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of error
Verb
  • As temperatures drop in the fall, aphids, like other garden pests, are less active, but don’t be fooled by appearances.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Don’t be fooled by the big numbers that these guys throw around in their ballots.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of fool
Verb
  • All of a sudden, Bass was a staggering champion lunging at a revived Raman, who swung and stung and ducked the way only a hungry up-and-comer can.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Clement famously tried to get the Supreme Court to overturn President Obama's signature health care law, a loss that still stings.
    — Carrie Johnson, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of sting

Browse Nearby Words

gadzooks
gaff
gaffe
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Cite this Entry

“Gaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaff. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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