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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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 In falling victim to the exact pitfall that the pods were designed to avoid, Sara displayed a glaring lack of understanding of the experiment at its core. Anusha Praturu, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025 Are there measures in place to avoid the pitfalls of overtourism that occur in other destinations? Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 27 Feb. 2025 And while there are plenty of possible pitfalls on the path back to the top—no one should bet the rent backing Green’s proclamation—the new evidence suggests that the Warriors have a fighting chance at making the Saginaw Soothsayer right again. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025 Energy companies would need to weigh access to troves of oil and natural gas against potential pitfalls, including reputational damage from taking part in an industry that has financially sustained a government waging war against its neighbor. Stanley Reed, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pitfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitfall
Noun
  • Varnado had been previously arrested on March 25, 2024, on domestic violence charges that included second-degree breach of peace and risk of injury to a minor, court records show.
    Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Jackson Agar in Minnesota, says the gray market is a risk his family is just unwilling to take.
    Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • None of them know how soon the United States might resolve tensions with Canada, or make good on threats to impose a 200% tariff on EU alcohol.
    Natasha Chen, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025
  • While the world celebrates the many ways trees and forests help sustain human and animal life, deforestation poses a significant threat to these vital ecosystems, both in the United States and abroad.
    Alana Wise, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Melissa Rivers reflects on losing her home in LA wildfires Luckily, the ceremony went on without a hitch Saturday, with the pair exchanging vows in front of 150 guests, People reports.
    Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Comments Gal Gadot's star ceremony, her induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, did not go off without a hitch.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • North Texas will deal with storms and fire danger this week.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The states claim that oil and gas companies engaged in deceptive marketing by misrepresenting the dangers of their fossil fuel products, which caused consumers to use more of them.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • After that, everything basically fell into place, apart from one big snag: The rear fan was too close to the motherboard tray to slide our motherboard over the case’s standoffs without scraping; the I/O connectors' top cover got in the way.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Barring those snags, at this price, the Razr 2024 is a good way to test the folding-phone waters without breaking the bank.
    Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitfall. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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