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

• 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

For those who will fill a sizeable chunk of the 52,769 seats on a regular basis, however, there are other, less heralded aspects to the new build that may well ensure Everton avoid the pitfalls suffered by other clubs when upping sticks from a beloved old home. —Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025

Her mother and grandmother had gotten through the pitfalls of motherhood without medication or other forms of support; her mom worked a full-time job while raising three kids. —Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025

Just as automation ultimately changed manufacturing, AI will undoubtedly reshape how companies operate; however, GM’s experience highlights the pitfalls of not thinking about its implementation carefully. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025

The pitfalls of a India-China-Russia pact The scenes from the 2025 Tianjin Shanghai Cooperation Summit had an overdose of bonhomie and brotherhood among three of the world’s four most powerful nations. —Happymon Jacob, Time, 3 Sep. 2025

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