noun
Meaning 1
A step that is wrong, a false step.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- On a high ledge, a misstep could be fatal.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
misstep
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ˈmɪs.stɛp/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with (verb) -ɛp
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/mɪsˈstɛp/
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CMU ARPABET: M IH0 S S T EH1 P Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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CMU ARPABET 2: M IH0 S T EH1 P Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
An error or mistake.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Examples
- His comment was a misstep that could cost him dearly.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To step badly or incorrectly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- My dance partner misstepped and landed on my toe.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To make an error or mistake.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- I don't want to misstep by offending them.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
an unintentional but embarrassing blunder
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- he recited the whole poem without a single trip
- he arranged his robes to avoid a trip-up later
- confusion caused his unfortunate misstep
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: trip, trip-up, stumble
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: blunder, blooper, bloomer, bungle, pratfall, foul-up, fuckup, flub, botch, boner, boo-boo
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth2-der. Proto-Germanic *missaz Proto-Germanic *missa- Proto-West Germanic *missa- Old English mis- Middle English mys- English mis- Proto-Germanic *stapjaną Proto-West Germanic *stappjan Old English stæppan Middle English steppen English step English misstep From mis- + step.
Across languages
Translations
43 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Dutch: misstap — step that is wrong
- Finnish: harha-askel — step that is wrong
- French: faux pas — step that is wrong
- German: Fehltritt — step that is wrong
- Ancient Greek: πταῖσμα (ptaîsma) — step that is wrong
- Ancient Greek: σφάλμα (sphálma) — step that is wrong
- Portuguese: passo em falso — step that is wrong
- Romanian: pas greșit — step that is wrong
- Romanian: poticnire — step that is wrong
- Russian: оступи́ться (ostupítʹsja) — step that is wrong
- Slovak: chyba — step that is wrong
- Spanish: paso en falso — step that is wrong
- Dutch: misstap — error or mistake
- Dutch: faux pas — error or mistake
- Finnish: harha-askel — error or mistake
- French: faux pas — error or mistake
- French: bourde — error or mistake
- German: Fehltritt — error or mistake
- Portuguese: passo em falso — error or mistake
- Romanian: pas greșit — error or mistake
- Russian: ло́жный шаг (lóžnyj šag) — error or mistake
- Russian: опло́шность (oplóšnostʹ) — error or mistake
- Spanish: paso en falso — error or mistake
- Spanish: desliz — error or mistake
- Spanish: tropiezo — error or mistake
- Spanish: marfilada — error or mistake
- Swedish: felsteg — error or mistake
- Dutch: verstappen — to step badly or incorrectly
- Dutch: misstappen — to step badly or incorrectly
- Finnish: astua harhaan — to step badly or incorrectly
- French: faire un faux pas — to step badly or incorrectly
- French: trébucher — to step badly or incorrectly
- French: s'emmêler les pinceaux — to step badly or incorrectly
- German: einen Fehltritt machen — to step badly or incorrectly
- Portuguese: pisar em falso — to step badly or incorrectly
- Dutch: blunderen — to make an error or mistake
- Dutch: een misstap begaan — to make an error or mistake
- Finnish: erehtyä — to make an error or mistake
- Finnish: hairahtua — to make an error or mistake
- French: faire un faux pas — to make an error or mistake
- French: faire une bourde — to make an error or mistake
- French: gaffer — to make an error or mistake
- German: einen Fehltritt machen — to make an error or mistake
Real reading context