Pitfall
noun
An unforeseen difficulty or danger.
There are several pitfalls to investing in real estate without doing your research first.
Often appears as...
- avoid the pitfall
- potential pitfall
noun
A covered pit used as a trap or for storage.
Ancient tribes used pitfalls to trap animals for food.
Often appears as...
- fall into a pitfall
- pitfall for wildlife
Usage tips
Historical
noun
An unforeseen difficulty or danger.
There are several pitfalls to investing in real estate without doing your research first.
Often appears as...
- avoid the pitfall
- potential pitfall
noun
A covered pit used as a trap or for storage.
Ancient tribes used pitfalls to trap animals for food.
Often appears as...
- fall into a pitfall
- pitfall for wildlife
Usage tips
Historical
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Common Metaphor
Often used metaphorically to discuss potential problems in plans, projects, or activities.
Venturing into freelance work has its pitfalls, like irregular income.
Pro Tip 2/3Abstract Danger
Pitfall usually signifies a danger that's not immediately obvious rather than a physical hazard.
Many people ignore the pitfalls of skipping breakfast, like lower energy levels.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
It implies a negative outcome that should be avoided or considered carefully.
Don't overlook the pitfalls of neglecting regular exercise for your health.
Pro Tip 1/3Common Metaphor
Often used metaphorically to discuss potential problems in plans, projects, or activities.
Venturing into freelance work has its pitfalls, like irregular income.
Pro Tip 2/3Abstract Danger
Pitfall usually signifies a danger that's not immediately obvious rather than a physical hazard.
Many people ignore the pitfalls of skipping breakfast, like lower energy levels.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
It implies a negative outcome that should be avoided or considered carefully.
Don't overlook the pitfalls of neglecting regular exercise for your health.
Pro Tip 1/3Common Metaphor
Often used metaphorically to discuss potential problems in plans, projects, or activities.
Venturing into freelance work has its pitfalls, like irregular income.
Pro Tip 2/3Abstract Danger
Pitfall usually signifies a danger that's not immediately obvious rather than a physical hazard.
Many people ignore the pitfalls of skipping breakfast, like lower energy levels.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
It implies a negative outcome that should be avoided or considered carefully.
Don't overlook the pitfalls of neglecting regular exercise for your health.
Never forget "Pitfall"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
The Survival of the Sea...
Roughly a month and a half after having been laid, the surviving eggs hatch, and the young turtles, each small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, squirm to the surface, emerging from the sand en masse, and making their desperate dash for the sea. Along the way, debris, pitfalls, crabs,
Video examples
Eduardo Sáenz de...
Do the math and you'll see it's right. That's what math is for. It's true that science, all types of science, only makes sense because it makes us better understand this beautiful world we live in. And in doing that, it helps us avoid the pitfalls of this painful world we live in.
Video examples
What makes a friendship...
data and my mum. Now, since she hates being on camera, this puppet is going to be as good as it gets. But before she weighs in, I wanted to look at the studies on how friendships fall apart in the hopes that I might be able to avoid some of those pitfalls. According to one study,
Video examples
The optimism bias PIPE Tali...
Well I've already told you about all of the benefits of the optimism bias, which probably makes you want to hold onto it for dear life. But there are, of course, pitfalls, and it would be really foolish of us to ignore them. Take for example this email I recieved
Video examples
Why People and AI Make...
or the illuminator or optimizer or many, many other ones. They build and evolve the feedback loops that we talked about. And finally and most importantly, they don't just throw technology at it. In fact, this has been the biggest pitfall of companies
Video examples
This Plant Traps its...
one-way trip down to the plant's digestive juices which are pooled below the slippery properties of pitfall traps and other plants are so incredible that they have inspired synthetic self-cleaning surfaces which repel contaminants
Video examples
The opportunity of...
unscathed or unmarked by the experience, as if my successes in life have come about from an ability to sidestep or circumnavigate the presumed pitfalls of a life with prosthetics, or what other people perceive as my disability.
Video examples
The Secret to Mastering...
Life is the story you tell yourself. But there's something that research hasn't much answered. What happens when we misplace the plot of that story, when we get sidetracked by a pitfall, a pothole, a pandemic?
Video examples
The Studs PIPE Hard Time
fights to drugs to illegal relationships these are all pitfalls that can make time hard and complicate your chance of getting out but for some the biggest trap of all is letting prison life get
Video examples
Where are the women...
know that the road and the journey is full of pitfalls when I was going to go to Africa a few people called me and put me inside and said women inventors in Africa have you really thought about
Video examples
The Survival of the Sea...
Roughly a month and a half after having been laid, the surviving eggs hatch, and the young turtles, each small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, squirm to the surface, emerging from the sand en masse, and making their desperate dash for the sea. Along the way, debris, pitfalls, crabs,
Video examples
Eduardo Sáenz de...
Do the math and you'll see it's right. That's what math is for. It's true that science, all types of science, only makes sense because it makes us better understand this beautiful world we live in. And in doing that, it helps us avoid the pitfalls of this painful world we live in.
Video examples
What makes a friendship...
data and my mum. Now, since she hates being on camera, this puppet is going to be as good as it gets. But before she weighs in, I wanted to look at the studies on how friendships fall apart in the hopes that I might be able to avoid some of those pitfalls. According to one study,
Video examples
The optimism bias PIPE Tali...
Well I've already told you about all of the benefits of the optimism bias, which probably makes you want to hold onto it for dear life. But there are, of course, pitfalls, and it would be really foolish of us to ignore them. Take for example this email I recieved
Video examples
Why People and AI Make...
or the illuminator or optimizer or many, many other ones. They build and evolve the feedback loops that we talked about. And finally and most importantly, they don't just throw technology at it. In fact, this has been the biggest pitfall of companies
Video examples
This Plant Traps its...
one-way trip down to the plant's digestive juices which are pooled below the slippery properties of pitfall traps and other plants are so incredible that they have inspired synthetic self-cleaning surfaces which repel contaminants
Video examples
The opportunity of...
unscathed or unmarked by the experience, as if my successes in life have come about from an ability to sidestep or circumnavigate the presumed pitfalls of a life with prosthetics, or what other people perceive as my disability.
Video examples
The Secret to Mastering...
Life is the story you tell yourself. But there's something that research hasn't much answered. What happens when we misplace the plot of that story, when we get sidetracked by a pitfall, a pothole, a pandemic?
Video examples
The Studs PIPE Hard Time
fights to drugs to illegal relationships these are all pitfalls that can make time hard and complicate your chance of getting out but for some the biggest trap of all is letting prison life get
Video examples
Where are the women...
know that the road and the journey is full of pitfalls when I was going to go to Africa a few people called me and put me inside and said women inventors in Africa have you really thought about
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John Green
American Author
One of the pitfalls of writing about illness is that it is very easy to imagine people with cancer as either these wise, beyond-their-years creatures or else these sad-eyed, tragic people. And the truth is people living with cancer are very much like people who are not living with cancer.
Quote examples
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Irish Scientist
A search for truth seems to me to be full of pitfalls. We all have different understandings of what truth is, and we'll each believe - or we are in danger of each believing - that our truth is the one and only absolute truth, which is why I say it's full of pitfalls.
Quote examples
Rae Carson
American Writer
Some of the most common pitfalls I see occur when authors don't check their privilege. Billions are living in a personal apocalypse right this second, so a little research and empathy can go a long way toward developing a convincing world.
Quote examples
Jay Shetty
British Celebrity
Knowledge is power, and it can help you overcome any fear of the unexpected. When you learn, you gain more awareness through the process, and you know what pitfalls to look for as you get ready to transition to the next level.
Quote examples
John Malkovich
American Actor
Quite often - a lot of the work I had done had been extensively with women. Most especially in the theater, but also quite often in the movies. That has its own delights, and maybe pitfalls too.
Quote examples
Nayef Al-Rodhan
Scientist
The ways in which readers encounter and relate to information is dramatically influenced by their education as well as their awareness of the pitfalls relating to the information source.
Quote examples
Neena Gupta
Indian Actress
The fact that my parents were both educated and held certain values very dearly, like honesty, self-respect and integrity, meant that I could steer clear of many pitfalls.
Quote examples
Nick Sagan
American Novelist
As a science-fiction writer, I feel my responsibility is to look ahead and see the dangers of what might happen and try to warn people of the potential pitfalls.
Quote examples
Stephanie Coontz
American Author
Hyper-parenting has many pitfalls. Overprotected and overpraised children may develop an inflated sense of entitlement.
Quote examples
Gene Simmons
American Musician
The biggest financial pitfall in life is divorce. And the biggest reason for divorce is marriage.
Quote examples
John Green
American Author
One of the pitfalls of writing about illness is that it is very easy to imagine people with cancer as either these wise, beyond-their-years creatures or else these sad-eyed, tragic people. And the truth is people living with cancer are very much like people who are not living with cancer.
Quote examples
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Irish Scientist
A search for truth seems to me to be full of pitfalls. We all have different understandings of what truth is, and we'll each believe - or we are in danger of each believing - that our truth is the one and only absolute truth, which is why I say it's full of pitfalls.
Quote examples
Rae Carson
American Writer
Some of the most common pitfalls I see occur when authors don't check their privilege. Billions are living in a personal apocalypse right this second, so a little research and empathy can go a long way toward developing a convincing world.
Quote examples
Jay Shetty
British Celebrity
Knowledge is power, and it can help you overcome any fear of the unexpected. When you learn, you gain more awareness through the process, and you know what pitfalls to look for as you get ready to transition to the next level.
Quote examples
John Malkovich
American Actor
Quite often - a lot of the work I had done had been extensively with women. Most especially in the theater, but also quite often in the movies. That has its own delights, and maybe pitfalls too.
Quote examples
Nayef Al-Rodhan
Scientist
The ways in which readers encounter and relate to information is dramatically influenced by their education as well as their awareness of the pitfalls relating to the information source.
Quote examples
Neena Gupta
Indian Actress
The fact that my parents were both educated and held certain values very dearly, like honesty, self-respect and integrity, meant that I could steer clear of many pitfalls.
Quote examples
Nick Sagan
American Novelist
As a science-fiction writer, I feel my responsibility is to look ahead and see the dangers of what might happen and try to warn people of the potential pitfalls.
Quote examples
Stephanie Coontz
American Author
Hyper-parenting has many pitfalls. Overprotected and overpraised children may develop an inflated sense of entitlement.
Quote examples
Gene Simmons
American Musician
The biggest financial pitfall in life is divorce. And the biggest reason for divorce is marriage.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension