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
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
What most view as a major pitfall for one system could be a perk for another, Greenberg argued.
—
Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 16 Apr. 2024
Union naysayers on the factory floor Within the Mercedes plant, there are workers warning about the potential pitfalls of unionization.
—Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 5 Apr. 2024
One valuable piece of advice Cusick left us with touches on avoiding that pitfall.
—Kelsey Chapman, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
By taking a broad perspective, your organization can assess the hiring experience from start to finish, identify gaps and pitfalls and implement measures to choose the best candidates who help the business thrive.
—Robert Satterwhite, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Potential pitfalls Every company defines success differently.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
And similarly to their male counterparts, there are plenty of potential pitfalls lying in wait for any slip-ups.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Soon she will be faced with the pressure that distance, and maturation, can put on youthful friendships, while exploring new ones with all the wonder and pitfalls that inevitably involves.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The story combine those elements with a look at the pitfalls of the creative process, while also paying an homage to comics books (the hero’s name is taken from comic writers Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, and Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman).
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 16 Apr. 2024
Union naysayers on the factory floor Within the Mercedes plant, there are workers warning about the potential pitfalls of unionization.
—Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 5 Apr. 2024
One valuable piece of advice Cusick left us with touches on avoiding that pitfall.
—Kelsey Chapman, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
By taking a broad perspective, your organization can assess the hiring experience from start to finish, identify gaps and pitfalls and implement measures to choose the best candidates who help the business thrive.
—Robert Satterwhite, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Potential pitfalls Every company defines success differently.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
And similarly to their male counterparts, there are plenty of potential pitfalls lying in wait for any slip-ups.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Soon she will be faced with the pressure that distance, and maturation, can put on youthful friendships, while exploring new ones with all the wonder and pitfalls that inevitably involves.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The story combine those elements with a look at the pitfalls of the creative process, while also paying an homage to comics books (the hero’s name is taken from comic writers Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, and Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman).
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pitfall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pitfall
Cite this Entry
“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitfall. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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