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

But even Apple’s missteps under Cook, which would be sizable for most companies, have barely affected the company’s balance sheet and record earnings. —Steve Kopack, NBC news, 20 Apr. 2026

The thing is, most of these missteps are incredibly easy to avoid. —Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026

As Greg attempts to win Jack's approval, comedic missteps happen and tensions rise. —Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026

The group’s feed of an NBA play-in game Tuesday night cut out with less than a minute left in overtime, a high-profile misstep for a company that had successfully changed the narrative on the reliability of sports streaming over the past few years, particularly with its NFL partnership. —Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 16 Apr. 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