misstep
Americannoun
-
a wrong step.
-
an error or slip in conduct; faux pas.
- Synonyms:
- indiscretion, lapse, transgression, fault
noun
-
a false step
-
an error
Etymology
Origin of misstep
First recorded in 1250–1300, misstep is from the Middle English word missteppen. See mis- 1, step
Explanation
An accidental blunder or mistake is a misstep. Companies can be quick to save money by firing workers, even if economists say the decision is a possible misstep. Misstep began as a verb, from the 14th-century missteppen, "to step wrongly." Around 1800 the word started being used as a noun with the figurative meaning of "faux pas" or "blunder." You can make a misstep in so many ways: by wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt to a formal wedding, by confusing salt for sugar when you're baking a cake, or by gossiping about someone who's standing behind you.
Vocabulary lists containing misstep
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s more often due to a sudden misstep, like tripping over a crack in the sidewalk or stepping off an unforeseen curb.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Pryor points to behavioral traits including coachability, curiosity, reliability, comfort asking for clarification and the ability to repair a misstep.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
I would imagine she knows that no single outcome is guaranteed and there is no way to live a life totally insulated from regret or misstep.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
But they'll fear that the lasting impression could instead be of a misstep that's left victims' families in anguish.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
This misstep allowed the trio to get as far northeast as they did.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
