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.
He’s referring to the launch of a controversial drug called Aduhelm, which turned out to be a tremendous misstep for Biogen.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
There wasn’t one misstep or a single failure that led to the tragedy that will forever haunt Frank Perez.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
Dresser wrote that Anthropic has made a “strategic misstep to not acquire enough compute,” adding that “the market is ours to win, let’s execute accordingly.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
The misstep means Apple will "likely be cautious about moving quickly into related areas such as smart glasses", said Wood.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Some continue to have roaring, stadium-sized collections of critics and naysayers who will shout I told you so at every little misstep or mistake.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
