misstep

noun

mis·​step ˌmis-ˈstep How to pronounce misstep (audio)
Synonyms of misstepnext
1
: a mistake in judgment or action : blunder
missteps that led to the project's failure
2
: a wrong step
took a misstep and fell

Examples of misstep in a Sentence

Their decision to relocate the company was a major misstep. another misstep like that, and the company could go belly-up
Recent Examples on the Web
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Its first attempt at an AI offering—Apple Intelligence, released in October 2024—was widely considered a misstep owing to several feature delays and what was seen as overpromising on capabilities that were not ready for launch. Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 8 June 2026 Pivoting effortlessly from family man to ruthless felon, Cranston once again puts his acting range on full display, with a nuanced performance that is underscored by the knowledge that the slightest misstep could cost him — and his family — their lives. Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026 Sad, sullen younger half-brother Zach (Joe Anders), unrecovered from a social media misstep, is acting more strangely than teenage boys usually do. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026 Whether Columbia will ever face legal scrutiny over the unique missteps surrounding its old SSN database, however, remains unclear. Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for misstep

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misstep was in 1788

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Cite this Entry

“Misstep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misstep. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

misstep

noun
mis·​step (ˈ)mis-ˈstep How to pronounce misstep (audio)
1
: a wrong step
2

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