1
: trap entry 1, snare
specifically
: a pit flimsily covered or camouflaged and used to capture and hold animals or people
2
: a hidden or not easily recognized danger or difficulty
Examples of pitfall in a Sentence
buying a house can be full of pitfalls for the unwary
one of the pitfalls of ignorance is that people will also assume you're stupid
Recent Examples on the Web
Obsidian Entertainment has done an admirable job avoiding those pitfalls in its work, and 2019’s The Outer Worlds is a great example.
—
Jason Fanelli, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Common pitfalls include adding too much salt, relying heavily on canned varieties, and using too much cream or butter.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 22 Oct. 2025
At the time, Sinegal was dismissive of the women’s concerns—a reminder of the pitfalls of turning one person’s ethos into an organization’s moral compass.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
But while interest in the technology is growing, there are potential pitfalls to relying on AI.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitfall
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Jason Fanelli, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Common pitfalls include adding too much salt, relying heavily on canned varieties, and using too much cream or butter.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 22 Oct. 2025
At the time, Sinegal was dismissive of the women’s concerns—a reminder of the pitfalls of turning one person’s ethos into an organization’s moral compass.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
But while interest in the technology is growing, there are potential pitfalls to relying on AI.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitfall
Cite this Entry
“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitfall. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pitfall
noun
pit·fall
ˈpit-ˌfȯl 
1
: trap entry 1 sense 1, snare
especially
: a covered or camouflaged pit used to capture animals or people
2
: a danger or difficulty that is hidden or is not easily recognized
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