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
Here are three common leadership pitfalls that Musk's rise calls to mind and which have felled countless leaders and mass movements through history.
—
Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
The authors also point out common pitfalls on the way to purpose and offer suggestions for how to create and sustain initiatives that deeply align with an organization’s core values.
—Christopher P. Blocker,
joseph P. Cannon,
jonathan Z. Zhang, Harvard Business Review, 6 Feb. 2025
Whereas Capcom’s action RPG is archaically and annoyingly old school, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 avoids similar pitfalls by including an easily accessible fast travel system.
—George Yang, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
However, the agreement is fragile and fraught with pitfalls.
—Ian Pannell, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for pitfall 
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Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
The authors also point out common pitfalls on the way to purpose and offer suggestions for how to create and sustain initiatives that deeply align with an organization’s core values.
—Christopher P. Blocker,
joseph P. Cannon,
jonathan Z. Zhang, Harvard Business Review, 6 Feb. 2025
Whereas Capcom’s action RPG is archaically and annoyingly old school, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 avoids similar pitfalls by including an easily accessible fast travel system.
—George Yang, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
However, the agreement is fragile and fraught with pitfalls.
—Ian Pannell, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for pitfall
Dictionary Entries Near pitfall
Cite this Entry
“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitfall. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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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