pitfalls

Definition of pitfallsnext
plural of pitfall
1
as in risks
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized buying a house can be full of pitfalls for the unwary

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in threats
something that may cause injury or harm one of the pitfalls of ignorance is that people will also assume you're stupid

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pitfalls Some have already pointed out the system’s pitfalls, however. Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 May 2026 To be sure, the stock market could continue to climb a wall of worry and rise to new heights, if the largest companies continue to navigate any pitfalls in the current macroeconomic setup and keep expanding their businesses. Sarah Min, CNBC, 11 May 2026 The pitfalls of backing title-chasing Manchester City Gameweek 35 may end up proving pivotal in the battle for the Premier League title. Holly Shand, New York Times, 8 May 2026 No matter what happens at the SJC, there are still plenty of pitfalls for her. Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 7 May 2026 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 Yet two more pitfalls my poor little shrub fell prey to. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026 Know More Other Republicans are contemplating going their own way to push for ballroom funding, which has its own pitfalls. Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitfalls
Noun
  • Botin and the Spanish started taking risks, breaking out to the far side of the course in a bid to get a winning split on the Australians, but to no avail.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • Highlighting his emergency response to the Palisades Fire, Allen has a four step plan to stabilize the market, hold the industry accountable, transform the Department into a rapid-response agency and reduce risks.
    Teagan Davidge, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • Colorado homeowners were among the least likely in the nation to have purchased supplemental insurance riders (53%), even as wildfires, severe storms, and flooding continue to pose real threats.
    Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 9 May 2026
  • The incident occurred as Minneapolis faced tensions from federal immigration enforcement operations, reflecting a broader uptick in threats against Congress members in recent years.
    Tim Sullivan, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • But her journey hasn’t been without a few hitches.
    Aaron Tolentino, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The draft horse shows this week during the stock show’s 120th anniversary will include 15 six-horse hitches, or six horses pulling a wagon.
    Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The optics of the ceremony soon sparked backlash from the faithful and religious leaders, many of whom drew a parallel to biblical scripture Exodus 32, which warns believers about the dangers of creating false idols and worshiping other gods.
    Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
  • Blanchett has long been vocal about the dangers of AI.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • The Calambokidis plan quickly hit some snags.
    Robin Romm, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
  • Boeing’s efforts to keep up kept hitting development snags including its first uncrewed test flight, which missed its rendezvous with the space station entirely in 2019.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • Trump, Obama told people, seemed indifferent to hearing about potential national-security perils—North Korea, Russia—preferring to brag about the size of the crowds at his campaign rallies.
    Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Watch the cautionary tale about the perils of the transfer portal turn into a fairy-tale comeback.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pitfalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitfalls. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

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