Definition of "pitfall" [pit•fall]

• An unapparent source of trouble or danger; a hidden hazard: "potential pitfalls stemming from their optimistic inflation assumptions” ( New York Times). (noun)
• A concealed hole in the ground that serves as a trap. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "That's probably the main pitfall of the car insurance analogy."
• "And the piece about avoiding the not doing something pitfall is the kind of thing that I can stand to hear many times, so thanks for that."
• "The only possible pitfall is complacency -- but the prospect of competing for a national title for the first time should cure that."