contretemps
Americannoun
noun
-
an awkward or difficult situation or mishap
-
fencing a feint made with the purpose of producing a counterthrust from one's opponent
-
a small disagreement that is rather embarrassing
Etymology
Origin of contretemps
1675–85; < French, equivalent to contre- counter- + temps time (< Latin tempus ); perhaps alteration (by folk etymology) of Middle French contrestant, present participle of contrester to oppose; see contrast
Explanation
A contretemps is a badly-timed event or an embarrassing situation. Did you see the outfielders run into each other and the shortstop slip and fall in the mud? Don't laugh — we all have our contretemps. The word contretemps, pronounced "CON-tre-tahn," is French — contre means "against" and temps means "time." A mishap, perhaps caused by bad timing, is one kind of contretemps. Another is an argument or conflict, especially an awkward one. A contretemps can result from a misunderstanding or miscommunication. It's also a term for a blunder in both ballet and fencing.
Vocabulary lists containing contretemps
It's About Time: Chron and Temp
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A Separate Peace
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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.
Now comes this week’s contretemps over the “Late Show” cancellation of a broadcast interview with Talarico.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026
Aston Villa team-mates Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings' contretemps came in a goalless draw with West Ham.
From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025
Innocently hang a flag the wrong way — or hang the wrong flag — and what was supposed to be a celebration can become a diplomatic contretemps.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2024
Aside from one episode in which he threw a rubber chicken at a persistent questioner, he coolly conveyed at press briefings the sensitivity of the diplomatic contretemps.
From New York Times • May 12, 2023
“Yes, huh, yes there was a small, a little contretemps at the tree.”
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
