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

• booby trap
• catch
• catch-22
• gimmick
• gotcha
• hitch
• joker
• land mine
• 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 story combine those elements with a look at the pitfalls of the creative process, while also paying an homage to comics books (the hero’s name is taken from comic writers Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, and Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman). —Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024

The pitfalls of New York’s chatbot should serve as a cautionary tale for other cities, said Suresh Venkatasubramanian, the director of the Center for Technological Responsibility, Reimagination, and Redesign at Brown University. —Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024

Have the right attitude There are lots of growing practices that can make a garden successful in its first year, and no shortage of advice and resources to help new hobbyists learn the ropes and avoid common pitfalls. —Kate Morgan, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024

Don't be swayed by the loan amount and rate; the terms and conditions can hide pitfalls. —Melissa Houston, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

The final portion of the demo is more about strategy, where I’m left to discuss the pitfalls of a potential plan, from escape routes to distracting guards. —Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 26 Mar. 2024

But there are some key qualities that managers can be trained in to avoid these pitfalls. —Trey Williams, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024

The conversation came after Sofía Vergara noted that dating in New York City has less pitfalls than Los Angeles. —Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024

There will be panel discussions on the powers and pitfalls of artificial intelligence and AI’s relationship to creativity, wrapping up with a town hall with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. —Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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