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Glite Dictionary
to put one's foot in one's mouth

to put one's foot in one's mouth

8.2
To say something embarrassing without meaning to
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : meter la pata
  • I always tend to put my foot in my mouth at family gatherings when I talk about sensitive topics.

Examples

  • Well, I really put my foot in my mouth this time but, I don't know, I like you two.

    Problem Child (1990)

  • I just feel like I keep putting my foot in my mouth every time I talk to you, and I just don't know why.

    Mother and Child (2009)

  • See, you make me put my foot in my mouth.

    Basquiat (1996)

  • Now put your foot in your mouth.

    Young Hercules (1998)

  • - I put my foot in my mouth.

    New York, New York (1977)

  • I have a knack of putting my foot in my mouth.

    My Spy (2020)

  • Don't you ever get tired of putting your foot in your mouth?

    Edge of Seventeen (1999)

  • During the meeting, I accidentally put my foot in my mouth by mentioning the project was behind schedule.

  • After I put my foot in my mouth, I apologized for my thoughtless comment about her outfit.

Synonyms

to blurt out
vsto put one's foot in one's mouth
  • Informal
42 3.9

Say something suddenly without thinking

refers to such speech when it causes embarrassment or tactlessness
to make a fool of oneself
vsto put one's foot in one's mouth
42 4.1

Act in a way that makes you look silly or embarrassed

applies only when the foolish action is a tactless spoken remark
to make an ass of oneself
vsto put one's foot in one's mouth
  • Offensive
7 8.5

To act in a way that makes you look foolish in front of others

is narrower, applying when the public foolishness is verbal and tactless
to put foot in it
vsto put one's foot in one's mouth
  • UK
3 7.7

To say or do something embarrassing by accident

focuses more narrowly on unintentionally saying awkward words
to stick one's foot in it
vsto put one's foot in one's mouth
  • UK
1 8.5

To say or do something embarrassing by accident

is specifically about unintentionally saying something tactless
to blunder out
vsto put one's foot in one's mouth
  • Informal
7.4

To say something quickly and carelessly without thinking

is about those utterances only when they are embarrassing or tactless
to drop a bollock
vsto put one's foot in one's mouth
  • Offensive
9.9

To make a serious, embarrassing mistake by being careless

concerns verbal tactlessness rather than general careless mistakes

How Embarrassing

to blunder
7 4.4
to put one's foot in one's mouth
  • Informal
8.2
to misspeak
5 5.6
to slip up
  • Informal
27 4.1

Surface Forms

put one's foot in one's mouth infinitive
put one's foot in one's mouth past
put one's foot in one's mouth past participle
putting one's foot in one's mouth present participle
puts one's foot in one's mouth third person singular

Morphology

put + one's + foot + in + one's + mouth

The meaning 'to say something embarrassing' cannot be predicted from the literal senses of 'put' + 'foot' + 'in' + 'mouth' because the image is a metaphorical, culturally specific idiom rather than a compositional action. A B1 learner who knows the constituents is unlikely to infer this idiomatic sense without prior exposure, so it is non-transparent.

Etymology

Put one's foot in one's mouth gives a clear, silly picture: imagine someone with their foot in their mouth, looking clumsy and awkward. That's why it now means 'to say something embarrassing' or 'say the wrong thing' without meaning to.