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
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Recent Examples of faux pas
During a Monday, June 2, appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the 73-year-old Hacks star opened up about making a bit of a faux pas when she got dressed for the meeting, which all centered around her pants.
—
Michael Nied, People.com, 3 June 2025
Their shenanigans go far beyond an occasional faux pas.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 7 June 2025
And one study found that compared to other faux pas, foul language is more forgivable in a robot.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 June 2025
However, is gifting secondhand good seen as thoughtful or a faux pas?
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for faux pas
Michael Nied, People.com, 3 June 2025
Their shenanigans go far beyond an occasional faux pas.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 7 June 2025
And one study found that compared to other faux pas, foul language is more forgivable in a robot.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 June 2025
However, is gifting secondhand good seen as thoughtful or a faux pas?
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for faux pas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faux pas
Noun
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Read on for some of the most common nutrition mistakes sports dietitians see that wreak havoc on people’s workouts—plus what to do instead.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
9 July 2025
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Such complacency could be a mistake, as some market watchers have cautioned.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
9 July 2025
Noun
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What happened to Josh Friedman isn’t just an HR blunder.—
Chloe Rogers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 July 2025
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Letting Tommy Kahnle, a reliable arm, walk has turned out to be a massive blunder.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
Noun
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High-profile cases have shown that spreadsheet errors can cost companies millions.—
Aleksandra Bal,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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Unforced error after unforced error plagued the team.—
Emma Moon,
Charlotte Observer,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Faux pas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faux%20pas. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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