Meaning & use
misstep
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Meanings
nouncountable
A mistake in judgment, decision, or behavior, often one that could have been avoided.
Grammar: Countable: you can talk about a misstep or several missteps.
Patterns
- a misstep by someone
- a misstep in something
- make a misstep
The company's decision to raise prices was a costly misstep.
She admitted that her misstep in the meeting had upset the team.
One misstep in the negotiations could ruin the whole deal.
nouncountable
A wrong or awkward step while walking or dancing.
Grammar: Countable; often used literally for physical movement.
Patterns
- a misstep on something
- take a misstep
He took a misstep on the icy path and nearly fell.
The dancer's misstep was barely noticeable to the audience.
Word forms
| plural | missteps |
|---|
Common combinations
- a costly misstep
- The delay proved to be a costly misstep for the project.
- a minor misstep
- Don't worry about that minor misstep; everyone makes mistakes.
- avoid a misstep
- Good planning can help you avoid a misstep.
- a misstep by someone
- The misstep by the manager led to confusion among the staff.
- a misstep in something
- There was a misstep in the hiring process.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mistake
- Mistake is the general word for any error; misstep often suggests a single, avoidable error in judgment or conduct.
- error
- Error is more formal and often used for technical or measurable wrongness; misstep is more about human judgment.
- blunder
- Blunder implies a careless or embarrassing mistake; misstep is usually milder and less severe.
- slip
- Slip is a small, often accidental mistake; misstep can carry more weight and suggest a wrong decision.
Commonly confused: misstep or misstep vs. mis-step?
misstep vs misstep vs. mis-step
The standard spelling is one word: misstep. The hyphenated form is rare and not recommended.
Practice
The senator's ___ on the tax issue cost him many votes.
Choose one answer.
The singular countable noun 'misstep' fits after 'The senator's' and before 'on the tax issue'. 'Missteps' would be plural but the verb 'cost' is singular, and the other options are verb forms that cannot follow 'The senator's'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “misstep”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.