misstep

noun

mis·​step ˌmis-ˈstep 

1

: a mistake in judgment or action : blunder

2

: a wrong step

Synonyms

• misapprehension
• miscalculation
• misjudging
• misjudgment
• mistake
• slip
• slipup

Examples of misstep in a Sentence

Their decision to relocate the company was a major misstep.

another misstep like that, and the company could go belly-up

Recent Examples on the Web

In what may prove a significant misstep, on December 13, the Jane Doe appeared on NBC with a different telling of what supposedly happened to her than her own court filings say. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2024

These failures usually don’t come from bad ideas but from preventable missteps. —Sho Dewan, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024

Unfortunately, the production makes a rare misstep in its final 15 minutes, rushing through Louise’s transformation from awkward wallflower to cocksure, celebrity burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024

What are the constituent parts of a flop, and what might these missteps reveal about the relationship between audiences and public figures today? —The New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

misstep

noun

mis·​step (ˈ)mis-ˈstep 

1

: a wrong step

2

: mistake entry 2 sense 2, blunder