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 of pitfall

• risk
• hitch
• 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

The 77-year-old monarch faced a number of possible pitfalls from a bombastic US president known for creating controversy and generating headlines at the lowest moment for US-UK relations in modern history. —Max Foster, CNN Money, 1 May 2026

In the first, Batula defends dating Wilson by alluding to something Miller said on the show about the pitfalls of dating white men as a Black woman. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026

They’re made from a soft and stretchy denim fabric that gives you that classic jean short look without any of the pitfalls. —Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2026

Yet two more pitfalls my poor little shrub fell prey to. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pitfall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

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