1
as in risk
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized buying a house can be full of pitfalls for the unwary

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2
as in threat
something that may cause injury or harm one of the pitfalls of ignorance is that people will also assume you're stupid

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pitfall Kurt's key takeaways The rise of AI in meetings shows both its promise and its pitfalls. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025 For those who will fill a sizeable chunk of the 52,769 seats on a regular basis, however, there are other, less heralded aspects to the new build that may well ensure Everton avoid the pitfalls suffered by other clubs when upping sticks from a beloved old home. Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025 The pitfalls of a India-China-Russia pact The scenes from the 2025 Tianjin Shanghai Cooperation Summit had an overdose of bonhomie and brotherhood among three of the world’s four most powerful nations. Happymon Jacob, Time, 3 Sep. 2025 But if these pitfalls are avoided, nuclear power could keep Southeast Asia on its upward economic trajectory. Alex Alfirraz Scheers, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pitfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitfall
Noun
  • Pilots allow organizations to learn, adapt, and de-risk before scaling up.
    Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Getting confronted with gruesome, horrific imagery has, unfortunately, become an assumed risk when logging onto social media.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Pressing global issues, including Russia and Ukraine, Russia's threat to NATO's Eastern flank and the war in Gaza will surely be a main topic for the leaders.
    Michelle Stoddart, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The ozone layer's healing demonstrates that entire nations can coordinate to address planetary threats.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • According to Champion, the wedding went off without a hitch — in no small part because her husband-to-be was very hands-on throughout the planning process.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The two-door, three-person Can-Am Defender Limited and the four-door, six-person Defender Max Limited have 82-horsepower engines, power steering, tow hitches with a 2,500-pound towing capacity, winches, air conditioning and heating, a full hard roof and a three-position tilt-up glass windshield.
    Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Concerns have already been raised over the dangers of nudification apps that can be used to create pornographic images of people without their consent.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Wildfire danger shifts specifically to California over the next few months, Aman said.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • While this usually indicates a healthy corporate sector, some worry this narrowness may lead investors to misprice risks, particularly as some industries hit snags in an uncertain economic environment.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
  • On the northeast and east side, firefighting crews continue to mop up and strengthen existing lines by removing snags and completing hose lays across steep, rocky terrain, and old-growth vegetation.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitfall. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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