Misstep: meaning, definitions and examples

A small or minor mistake, often one that is easily corrected. It's used when the mistake doesn't have serious consequences.

• He quickly recovered from his misstep during the presentation.
• A minor misstep in the dance routine didn't ruin the performance.

A general term for any incorrect or wrong action, decision, or judgment. It can vary in severity but doesn't necessarily imply grave consequences.

• She realized her mistake after submitting the form.
• Leaving the gate open was a mistake that allowed the dog to run away.

A serious or embarrassing mistake, often indicating carelessness or lack of thought. It often involves negative consequences or causes significant problems.

• The company's financial blunder resulted in huge losses.
• Her biggest blunder was forgetting to save her work before the computer crashed.

A mistake that can range from minor to serious, often used in formal contexts, technical fields, or when referring to calculations and processes. It implies a deviation from correctness or accuracy.

• There was an error in the calculations, causing the experiment to fail.
• The error in the program caused it to crash repeatedly.

A misstep is generally used to refer to a small or minor mistake, often in a social or strategic context.

• He took a misstep in the meeting, offending his boss unintentionally.
• Her misstep in the conversation was quickly forgiven.

A mistake is a general term for a wrong action or judgment that can occur in any context.

• I made a mistake on the test.
• Trusting him was a big mistake.

An error usually refers to a mistake or inaccuracy, particularly in formal, technical, or written contexts.

• There was an error in the financial report.
• A coding error caused the software to crash.

Fault often implies responsibility or blame for a mistake, and has a slightly negative connotation.

• The accident was clearly his fault.
• It was my fault that the project failed.