pitfall

[pit-fawl] / ˈpɪtˌfɔl /

NOUN

hazard, trap

Synonyms

STRONGEST

danger difficulty drawback peril risk snag

STRONG

catch downfall entanglement hook mesh mousetrap pit quicksand setup snare swindle toil web

WEAK

booby trap deadfall

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantage safety security

WEAK

blessing good luck

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.

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

"But if we can do gene therapy that doesn't involve snipping DNA strands, then we avoid these potential pitfalls."

From Science Daily

But other, independent economic experts are much more concerned and see no shortage of potential pitfalls.

From MarketWatch

These issues may not apply in your case, but they are common pitfalls for other readers to note.

From MarketWatch

If you heed our words, you will avoid the pitfalls that ensnare many others.

From Barron's