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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
This real-world experience, combined with the lessons learned along the way, fuels his commitment to helping other entrepreneurs navigate the pitfalls of starting and scaling a company.
—
Liquidia, USA Today, 5 June 2025
Knowing what to look for—and what to avoid—can help hiring managers find top talent while avoiding pitfalls like unconscious bias or inconsistent standards.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Flight of the Peach soars above these pitfalls, delivering fresh stone fruit flavors from organic California peaches, enhancing the wheat malt base.
—Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2025
Back-to-school shopping could also be stifled by fears of what is to come as economists are already having discussions about how the Christmas season could also face pitfalls with the tariffs.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitfall
Liquidia, USA Today, 5 June 2025
Knowing what to look for—and what to avoid—can help hiring managers find top talent while avoiding pitfalls like unconscious bias or inconsistent standards.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Flight of the Peach soars above these pitfalls, delivering fresh stone fruit flavors from organic California peaches, enhancing the wheat malt base.
—Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2025
Back-to-school shopping could also be stifled by fears of what is to come as economists are already having discussions about how the Christmas season could also face pitfalls with the tariffs.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitfall
Noun
-
Some powders contain aspartame or acesulfame potassium (also known as acesulfame K), which, one 2022 study suggested, may be linked to a greater cancer risk (although other studies have not found this).—
MISAKI KAWATSU,
Vogue,
10 June 2025
-
Miyazaki being pushed to the forefront, mostly due to the way audiences respond to his movies, risks diminishing the work of everyone else at the studio.—
Ryan Gaur,
IndieWire,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
Distance makes a difference when judging whether a lunge is a threat.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
-
Her words came a day after Munn's husband, John Mulaney, said the actress had received threats.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
Suspect SSDs and Fusion Failures Crank out a few million laptops, and you're bound to occasionally have some hitches.—
Brian Westover,
PC Magazine,
10 June 2025
-
Avoid these hosting mistakes to make sure your party goes off without a hitch.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
Deputy Pilot Jonathan Lozada noted that the dark surroundings added to the danger of the rescue.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
3 June 2025
-
Along the coast, a different danger is lurking — a south swell bringing with it elevated surf up to 6 feet high and rip currents.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
But the snag is that group is getting smaller and smaller.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
-
Following the completion, an acrobatic snag near the left sideline, McCarthy raced down the field and chest-bumped the 6-foot-5, 252-pound Muse.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitfall. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share