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
Relevance
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
Legislators on Connecticut’s General Law Committee are considering a bill aimed at ensuring consumers understand the potential pitfalls of medical credit cards before signing up.
—
Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2026
To avoid potential pitfalls, choose crops that will work with your specific growing conditions.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 26 Feb. 2026
Jon Robinson sat in this chair, understands the pitfalls.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
What are the pitfalls of Obstacle Avoidance?
—James Abbott, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2026
And so do all the little obstacles and pitfalls along the way.
—New Atlas, 23 Feb. 2026
In an environment in which people scrutinize AI’s pitfalls, how a company tells its story can affect valuation, regulation, and talent recruitment.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
Hims hair loss pros and cons There are many potential perks — and pitfalls — to using Hims for hair loss.
—Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
So here was Malinin, showing the pitfalls of all that, the dark side, the bill that’s due at the end of the night.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2026
To avoid potential pitfalls, choose crops that will work with your specific growing conditions.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 26 Feb. 2026
Jon Robinson sat in this chair, understands the pitfalls.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
What are the pitfalls of Obstacle Avoidance?
—James Abbott, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2026
And so do all the little obstacles and pitfalls along the way.
—New Atlas, 23 Feb. 2026
In an environment in which people scrutinize AI’s pitfalls, how a company tells its story can affect valuation, regulation, and talent recruitment.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
Hims hair loss pros and cons There are many potential perks — and pitfalls — to using Hims for hair loss.
—Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
So here was Malinin, showing the pitfalls of all that, the dark side, the bill that’s due at the end of the night.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitfalls
Noun
-
And while some seasons in the past have felt safe in the Italian fashion capital, many Milan designers took risks this season, pushing a distinct vision.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
-
But that risks projecting the weakness Tehran is so allergic to.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Although Iran has not made the closure official — the ban was announced by a Revolutionary Guard representative on national TV — its threats have proved to have teeth.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Both wars were based on lies about imminent threats from nuclear weapons to justify wars of choice.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 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
-
Cohen coauthored a paper on the dangers of the GRAS system published in The New England Journal of Medicine and was not involved in the EWG investigation.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
-
He was also required to pay a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge and to make a public safety announcement about the dangers of impaired driving.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That mission, which will send three Americans and one Canadian on a 10-day trip around the moon, has faced a series of delays due to snags with NASA's mammoth Space Launch System rocket developed specifically for the lunar program.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
-
For all Miso’s efforts, the startup has hit snags.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With a wry chuckle, McCartney chalks up these cornball elements of his TV specials and other outings to the perils of being surrounded by yes people.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Feb. 2026
-
But the drone’s flight path could be read as a message from Iran about the perils of war.—
Nancy A. Youssef,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pitfalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitfalls. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
