noun

blunder

blunder, gaffe, serious mistake

He made a terrible blunder on the exam.

He made a terrible blunder on the exam.

The political blunder cost him the election.

The political blunder cost him the election.

to make a blunder to commit a serious mistake He made a terrible blunder on the exam.

a ((adjective)) blunder a mistake of a certain type The political blunder cost him the election.

Synonyms: mistake, error, gaffe, faux pas

Possibly from Old Norse 'blundra', meaning 'to shut one's eyes', suggesting acting blindly or carelessly.

It sounds like 'blind under'. Imagine blindly walking under a low branch and hitting your head – a classic blunder.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.