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.

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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

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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

Officials struggled to answer questions about post-fire beach safety in part because of a lack of historical data on pollution levels, a pitfall researchers would like to forestall before another disaster arrives.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2026

Another potential pitfall is a dispute over the construction of a flight of steps and a square as the main entrance to the facade of Glory, which would entail destroying blocks of adjacent homes.

From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 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

This was the pitfall Francie had been told to watch against.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Drawing on national reports and other inputs, a "global review" of collective improvements and pitfalls is being finalised.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

In the title role of Chris Rock’s new film, the ‘Slow Horses’ star explores the pitfalls of Hollywood in an acting showcase that comes along rarely.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

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

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

Southwest executives spent months visiting lounges to figure out what works and how to avoid potential pitfalls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

What if we then used that as a cornerstone for something bigger, a whole children’s health initiative that might help parents avoid some of the pitfalls I’d experienced?

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

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