blunder

A blunder is a clumsy, embarrassing, or costly mistake resulting from misjudgment, miscommunication, or carelessness. It often connotes a sizable error that could have been avoided with better attention to detail or information.

The origin of the word is uncertain. Most etymologists link blunder to Dutch blunderen or German blundern, meaning to stumble or act clumsily; the sense of a serious error appears in English by the 16th century.

Blunders differ from deliberate wrongdoing or negligence. They may be honest accidents, miscalculations, or failures of perception. Related terms include gaffe, a social misstep, and faux pas, a breach of etiquette or social norms. They can reflect pressure, bias, or misinterpretation.

In practice, the consequences of a blunder depend on context. In public life or media, they can damage credibility; in engineering or medicine, they can threaten safety. Management typically involves issuing corrections, apologizing if appropriate, and implementing safeguards to reduce recurrence.