PITFALL Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

pitfall

noun

ˈpit-ˌfȯl

Definition of pitfall

as in risk

a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized buying a house can be full of pitfalls for the unwary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in threat

something that may cause injury or harm one of the pitfalls of ignorance is that people will also assume you're stupid

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pitfall That’s a rapid journey that can come with pitfalls – many young stars have been put on a pedestal and failed to deliver on that promise. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026 This unique combination maintains all-to-all connectivity while minimizing the typical pitfalls of atom movement, including error accumulation, atom loss, and runtime delays. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026 Panelists also share practical guidance on identifying legitimate opportunities, avoiding common pitfalls and building meaningful industry connections. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026 The Utah university where Charlie Kirk was assassinated last September released a report on Thursday examining the security pitfalls in advance of Kirk’s murder. — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pitfall

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitfall

Noun

Applicants can expect checks into their identity, source of funds, finances and assets, jurisdictional risk, as well as their criminal, reputational, and immigration history.

— Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Thirteen are rated at very high risk or in default, and 23 have no rating from the big agencies, which cuts them from international bond markets.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of risk

Noun

Altman was careful to say that Astra, OpenAI’s current flagship model, does not pose an existential threat.

— Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Jamal allegedly promised to protect the Feeding Our Future operatives against the threat of prosecution, took their money, and then turned some of them over to investigators.

— Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of threat

Noun

While such cardiovascular dangers are real, Harvard Medical School experts say there's no scientifically valid evidence behind the common belief that caffeine can stunt a person's growth.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Gavin Francis From its origins in the classical physique and homoerotic spectacle, bodybuilding today often involves the use of steroids whose dangers are not properly understood.

— Conor Heffernan, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of danger

Browse Nearby Words

piteous

pitfall

pitfalls

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pitfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitfall. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pitfall

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes