Pronunciations (2)
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/ˈmɪs.stɛp/
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/mɪsˈstɛp/
Noun
A step that is wrong, a false step.
- Examples
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On a high ledge, a misstep could be fatal.
[…] burdened as he was, he did not think of length or height or toil. He remembered only to avoid a misstep and to keep his direction.
An error or mistake.
Usage- Figurative
- Examples
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His comment was a misstep that could cost him dearly.
More examples (1)
Plenty of past seasons’ events could look ill-conceived in the critical eye of Monday-morning quarterbacking, but previously, the show had earned the benefit of the doubt that missteps on the part of supposedly intelligent characters were a plausible lack of in-world foresight.
Verb
To step badly or incorrectly.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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My dance partner misstepped and landed on my toe.
More examples (1)
Eckhart also speaks of this happening to a man who has misstepped (vertreten, as I recall); God, then, corrects the mis-swing of the man and brings him back to the Tao or Logos.
To make an error or mistake.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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I don't want to misstep by offending them.
Noun
an unintentional but embarrassing blunder
- Examples
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he recited the whole poem without a single trip
he arranged his robes to avoid a trip-up later
More examples (1)
confusion caused his unfortunate misstep