pitfall

[ pit-fawl ]

noun

1. a lightly covered and unnoticeable pit prepared as a trap for people or animals.
2. any trap or danger for the unwary:

   the pitfall of excessive pride.

pitfall

/ ˈpɪtˌfɔːl /

noun

1. an unsuspected difficulty or danger
2. a trap in the form of a concealed pit, designed to catch men or wild animals

Word History and Origins

Origin of pitfall¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English pittefalle, equivalent to pitte pit ¹ + falle ( Old English fealle ) “trap”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pitfall¹

Old English pytt pit ¹+ fealle trap

Synonym Study

See trap ¹.

Example Sentences

It was an exhibit in the pitfalls of our reliance on technology.

From Popular-Science

Ultimately, tapping or clicking that reset button can be scary, but your data should be fine as long as you consider the potential pitfalls and proceed carefully.

From Popular-Science

Keeping players in one spot is an easy solution to avoiding the pitfalls of motion sickness.

From Washington Post

We’ve discussed the power and pitfalls of PPC automation at great length over the past year, in particular.

From Search Engine Land

It’s the second grant that the company has taken from the NSF and is an example of how startups can turn to government funding for capital and avoid some of the pitfalls of fundraising from venture capital.

From TechCrunch

The second pitfall is that Tendulkar has given the reader little of what should be a gripping, meaningful story of his life.

From The Daily Beast

That is the most frequent logical pitfall into which Sherlock Holmes falls.

From The Daily Beast

Once the sound system started working again, the gathering hit yet another pitfall.

From The Daily Beast

It points up the major pitfall of academic boycotts, a pitfall so serious as to make them counterproductive.

From The Daily Beast

The Israel Project's novel defense of building civilian settlements in E1, however, has many a pitfall.

From The Daily Beast

Malcolm had foreseen this pitfall in the smooth road that was seemingly opening before him.

From Project Gutenberg

The day Antler thought of making clothes for the boys, was the day they ran away to the pitfall.

From Project Gutenberg

A still greater pitfall before us is that we read history not as men, but as gods, knowing the event.

From Project Gutenberg

The lost man often discovered this pitfall by dropping suddenly through into the veranda.

From Project Gutenberg

The floor is of oak, and kept in such a condition of polish as to be a pitfall and snare to any dancer not in constant practice.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• danger
• difficulty
• drawback
• peril
• risk
• snag