faux pas

American

[foh pah] / foʊ ˈpɑ /

noun

plural

faux pas

a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an embarrassing social blunder or indiscretion.

Synonyms:

impropriety, error

faux pas British

/ fo pɑ, ˌfəʊ ˈpɑː /

noun

a social blunder or indiscretion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of faux pas

First recorded in 1670–80; from French: literally, “false step”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When a nameless secretary drops a sheaf of papers, Kornev’s response to help is instinctive, yet we cringe at the careless faux pas he commits in this unfeeling society.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

The first reason is the data collection faux pas of 2020.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

But sometimes that meant his aides had the job of risk management, having to explain statements that appeared to be a departure from what the Pope had previously said or a diplomatic faux pas.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2025

Mr. Kerrigan’s faux pas could have been worse: He could have told his daughter that she was “one in a million”—which, in this country, means there are 347 others just like her.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

Sometimes, however, for no reason that science can yet explain, a perfectly ordinary faux pas is not forgotten at all.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023