pitfall

noun

pit·​fall ˈpit-ˌfȯl 

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

• booby trap
• catch
• catch-22
• gimmick
• gotcha
• hitch
• joker
• land mine
• snag

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

How can companies avoid the pitfalls of unlimited data plans? —Zeus Kerravala, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

That’s because this spooky season comes with plenty of potential pitfalls for our four-legged friends, wild birds and more. —Julia Lamont, The Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2024

Advertisement As use of payment apps has grown in recent years, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has issued guidance on best practices to avoid pitfalls. —Cora Lewis, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2024

Eternal Sunshine, the singer’s sparkling meta-narrative on the pitfalls of public image, spawned yet another pair of No. 1 hits for the singer-songwriter, as well as earning a debut atop the Billboard 200. —Stephen Daw, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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