pitfall

noun

pit·​fall ˈpit-ˌfȯl 

1

: trap entry 1, snare

specifically : a pit flimsily covered or camouflaged and used to capture and hold animals or people

2

: a hidden or not easily recognized danger or difficulty

Synonyms

• booby trap
• catch
• catch-22
• gimmick
• gotcha
• hitch
• joker
• land mine
• snag

Examples of pitfall in a Sentence

buying a house can be full of pitfalls for the unwary

one of the pitfalls of ignorance is that people will also assume you're stupid

Recent Examples on the Web

However, choosing this route came with a myriad of pitfalls. —Jason Fanelli, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024

Both candidates have reasons to be optimistic, as well as potential pitfalls. —Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 5 Nov. 2024

To do that, scientists first need to glean the basic principles and design rules for what makes a working genome, and to identify any pitfalls to avoid. —Quanta Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

One common pitfall organizations encounter is treating mentorship as an occasional check-in rather than a dynamic, evolving process. —Rhett Power, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pitfall

noun

pit·​fall ˈpit-ˌfȯl 

1

: trap entry 1 sense 1, snare

especially : a covered or camouflaged pit used to capture animals or people

2

: a danger or difficulty that is hidden or is not easily recognized