Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun pitfall

2 senses of pitfall

Sense 1
pitfall, booby trap -- (an unforeseen or unexpected or surprising difficulty)
       => difficulty -- (a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result; "serious difficulties were encountered in obtaining a pure reagent")

Sense 2
pit, pitfall -- (a trap in the form of a concealed hole)
       => trap -- (a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned)