pitfalls
5 synonyms and 0 antonyms for pitfalls, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Hidden or unexpected difficulties that catch people out, especially ones that are easy to walk into if you are not warned.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
Hidden or unexpected difficulties that catch people out, especially ones that are easy to walk into if you are not warned.
“The guide lists the common pitfalls of buying a first home.”
2. noun
Concealed pits dug in the ground to trap animals or people.
“The hunters lined the trail with covered pitfalls.”
How to Use Pitfalls
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral. Very common in advice, guides and business writing, usually in the plural.
Etymology
From Middle English pit + fall, originally a concealed pit dug as a trap for animals; the figurative sense of a hidden danger followed.
Full origin of pitfalls →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a pitfall and a drawback?
A drawback is a disadvantage you can see in advance and weigh up. A pitfall is a danger that is concealed, so people fall into it without realising it was there. Every pitfall is a problem, but not every problem is hidden.
Is "pitfalls" always plural?
No, the singular pitfall is perfectly correct, but the plural is far more common because the word usually appears in lists of things to avoid, as in "common pitfalls".