Definition

Noun: - A socially awkward or tactless act; a mistake in a social situation that causes embarrassment or offense because it violates accepted social norms or etiquette.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Forgetting the host's name at the party was a major faux pas.
  • Wearing jeans to the formal wedding was considered a serious faux pas.
  • He committed a faux pas by asking about her salary during dinner.

Advanced Usage

• "to commit a faux pas": This is the standard collocation for describing the act of making such a social mistake.
  • She was worried she might commit a faux pas at the diplomatic reception.
• "a social faux pas": Often used for emphasis, though "faux pas" inherently implies a social context.
  • Spilling wine on the guest of honor was a terrible social faux pas.

Variants and Related Words

• Gaffe (n): A synonym for a social blunder or faux pas.
  • His comment about her age was an embarrassing gaffe.
• Solecism (n): A formal term for a breach of good manners or etiquette; a grammatical mistake, but can also mean a social error.
  • Using the wrong fork was a minor solecism.

Synonyms

• Blunder: A careless or foolish mistake, often used in social contexts.
• Indiscretion: A lack of good judgment, especially in speech or action.
• Impropriety: Behavior that is not socially acceptable or appropriate.

Idioms and Phrases

• "A breach of etiquette": A more formal way to describe a violation of social rules, similar to a faux pas.
  • Arriving too early can sometimes be a breach of etiquette.
• "To put one's foot in it" (idiom): To say or do something tactless or embarrassing.
  • I really put my foot in it when I joked about his recent job loss.

Noun

1. a socially awkward or tactless act