howler
noun
Howler — a blunder so glaring it provokes laughter at its sheer absurdity
Definition
A glaring blunder
In depth
A howler is a glaring blunder, an error so obviously, almost comically wrong that it provokes laughter, whether sympathetic or mocking, from those who witness it. The word implies a mistake too absurd to take entirely seriously, the kind of error that becomes, almost immediately, a memorable and often-repeated story.
Origin
The word draws directly on 'howl,' the loud, prolonged cry, suggesting the kind of reaction, whether laughter or anguished groaning, that such a glaring mistake provokes from onlookers. That onomatopoeic connection to a loud, immediate vocal reaction gives the word its characteristic emphasis on the mistake's sheer, undeniable obviousness.
Usage examples
"The student's exam answer contained a genuine howler, confidently stating a fact that was the precise opposite of the truth."
"Sports commentators still recall the goalkeeper's infamous howler decades after the match itself was otherwise forgotten."
"The translation included several unintentional howlers, transforming a solemn passage into something unintentionally hilarious."
How to use it
Howler is vivid, accessible vocabulary particularly common in British English and sports journalism, useful for describing mistakes so glaringly obvious or absurd that they become genuinely, often affectionately, amusing rather than purely embarrassing.
Related concepts
Looking for a word but don't know its name?
Try the Word Finder →