misstep

noun

mis·​step ˌmis-ˈstep 

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

Synonyms of misstep

• mistake

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

After all, talking to a defiant teen can be like tiptoeing through a minefield—the smallest misstep could set off an argument. —Staff Author, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026

One misstep after another, an avalanche of miscalculations, and doubling down on bad decisions. —Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026

On top of that, the GOP’s vaccine missteps could spark a cataclysmic, entirely preventable, midterm backlash. —Jerome Adams, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026

But to others, the council’s decision to open the extra 1,000 acres of farmland to data center development, rather than limiting development to a 1,600-acre area around the existing Quantum Frederick campus, was a major misstep. —Lily Carey, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misstep

• bicep
• doorstep
• footstep
• instep
• lockstep
• sidestep
• cep
• hep
• pep
• prep
• rep
• sep

Kids Definition

misstep

noun

mis·​step (ˈ)mis-ˈstep 

1

: a wrong step

2

: mistake entry 2 sense 2, blunder