pitfall

American  

[pit-fawl] / ˈpɪtˌfɔl /

noun

• pitfalls
  plural

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 British  

/ 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

---

Synonym Usage

See trap ¹.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pitfalls
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pitfall

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

Explanation

A pitfall is a trap or difficulty you didn't see. A possible pitfall for high school seniors is not working hard after they know they've already been accepted into college. In 1300, pitfall referred to an animal trap, such as branches laid across a deep hole offering no escape. Since the 1580s, pitfall has come to describe any hidden or unexpected difficulty, and its meaning has expanded to apply to humans. You might encounter a pitfall when trying to use a brand new computer program that's unexpectedly precise. It can even be a habit you don't want to address, like the pitfalls of snacking in front of the television every night.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pitfall pitfalls

Fortunately Ms. Anderson avoids the pitfall of tipping into gooey sentimentality while allowing for the possibility of spiritual rebirth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

One major pitfall is that it may introduce visual bias into the hiring process, she noted.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

It is a potential pitfall for Rosenior to be wary of given that, as a recruit from Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital's other club Strasbourg, he could easily be labelled a yes-man.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026

It’s perhaps no surprise that when identifying a possible pitfall for the AI trade, the finger is pointed at ChatGPT developer OpenAI.

From Barron's ● Jan. 5, 2026

Instead, he sought to discover any trap or pitfall lurking in his “opponent’s” position and respond accordingly.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

But they face lots of pitfalls, too, reports Miriam Gottfried.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

What approaches worked well, and were there any pitfalls I should be aware of?

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

It is a cautionary tale that points to the potential profit and pitfalls when small local businesses push back against the onslaught of e-commerce by using technology to reach a wider audience.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

Despite the insistence from both governments that the plan will benefit both Venezuelans and Americans, it is not without pitfalls and clear unanswered questions.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

Gertie’s father didn’t approve of Hans because he was enlisted in the US Marines and there were too many pitfalls to military life.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

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