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
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
See all Example Sentences for pitfall 
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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
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 22 Nov. 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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