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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Any profession requiring judgment and specialized knowledge can fall prey to the pitfalls of cognitive offloading, as a recent study demonstrates. Lars Daniel, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025 These experts can highlight potential pitfalls and opportunities and ensure that your product seamlessly integrates into people’s daily lives. Lila Ibrahim, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025 According to multiple sources involved in the work, the executive orders Trump ended up signing were designed to avoid the legal pitfalls that stymied much of his immigration agenda at the start of his first term. Daniel Bush, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 Glow Up Finance Glow Up Finance addresses common financial pitfalls and offers guidance on avoiding popular money traps. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 29 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for pitfall 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitfall
Noun
  • Thus, there is always a lurking risk that your AI use will be detected.
    Andrew Brodsky, TIME, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Pope Francis noted that while a nation has the right to defend itself and keep communities safe from people who have committed violent or serious crimes, deportations put some migrants at risk.
    Ray Lewis, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • It's rated for a top speed of 55 mph (89 km/h), but the lack of a windscreen and the resulting threat of frostbite kept me from that speed.
    Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 11 Feb. 2025
  • We’re motivated to get outside, soak up some sun and enjoy a slight breeze without the threat of constant afternoon thunderstorms.
    Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Despite 13 buildings being burned down, one person killed, 11 wounded, 400 arrested and $1 million worth of damage, the game went off as scheduled without a hitch.
    Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 10 Feb. 2025
  • So far, there haven’t been reports of major technical failings on Tubi’s end, indicating the event went on largely without a hitch.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The dynamic creates a real quandary as all of this puts Mickey 17 and 18 in harm’s way, a danger to the whole enterprise and one that must be done away with.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 Feb. 2025
  • President Volodymyr Zelensky, himself a former filmmaker and comic actor, was keenly aware of this danger from the start.
    Simon Shuster, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Zoom in: The story appears to have started when Politico missed payroll on Tuesday because of a tech snag, media reporter Will Sommer notes.
    Erica Pandey, Axios, 5 Feb. 2025
  • Image In the past few years, as pandemic supply chain snags and geopolitical shocks produced a spike in prices around the world, officials in Japan seized the opportunity to turn elevated import costs into lasting inflation.
    River Akira Davis, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near pitfall

Cite this Entry

“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitfall. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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