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.
Lezzard said he understood the club's reasons for trying to attract additional income but called the decision "a massive misstep".
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Volunteers fear any misstep while assisting voters could get them in trouble, Chavez-Camacho said.
From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026
Maxx didn’t reflect an uncontrollable macroeconomic slump or inherent brand weakness, but an operational misstep management can fix.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 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
Too easy to make a misstep when you don’t know what you’re doing.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
