noun

an absurd or embarrassing blunder.

the minister had dropped a massive political clanger

mistake,blunder,gaffe,error,faux pas,slip of the tongue/pen,solecism,misjudgement,miscalculation,indiscretion,impropriety,slip-up,boo-boo,boner,howler,boob,bloomer,floater,goof,blooper,bloop,lapsus linguae,lapsus calami