pitfall

noun

pit·​fall ˈpit-ˌfȯl How to pronounce pitfall (audio)
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

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 But there are some key qualities that managers can be trained in to avoid these pitfalls. Trey Williams, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 The conversation came after Sofía Vergara noted that dating in New York City has less pitfalls than Los Angeles. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 There will be panel discussions on the powers and pitfalls of artificial intelligence and AI’s relationship to creativity, wrapping up with a town hall with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Critics often point to potential pitfalls such as conflicts, inconsistency, and ego collisions. Dean Debiase, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Such an approach avoids the pitfalls of advancing propaganda or a Western-centric worldview. Suzanne Nossel, Foreign Affairs, 29 Feb. 2024 Prior to purchase, proper due diligence is important to avoid pitfalls within a mobile home park investment. Andrew Keel, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Another potential pitfall: The language model could make promises that the candidate is not willing to deliver on. Morgan Radford, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 Perhaps one pitfall of such a project, however, is its presentation of the entire cast on equal grounds. Zara Khan, CNN, 26 Feb. 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.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pitfall was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pitfall

Cite this Entry

“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitfall. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pitfall

noun
pit·​fall ˈpit-ˌfȯl How to pronounce pitfall (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on pitfall

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