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

While their experience shows the pitfalls of fighting against an unprecedented legal effort, this is also a story about the lengths a couple will go to fight for their love. —Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026

Then there are the strategic pitfalls posed by the way immigration court works, like the fact that a person only gets one bond hearing. —Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026

Here, Southern professional organizers speak to nine of these pitfalls and explain what to do instead in order to successfully contain the clutter. —Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026

Too often in technology, great products remain trapped in unfinished states—pitfalls Cook avoided with aplomb. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 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