Missteps

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Errors committed in undertaking an action or making a choice
2. Blunders resulting from poor judgment or insufficient awareness during an endeavor
3. Instances of wrong or faulty actions or choices that lead to undesired outcomes

Etymology: "Missteps" is formed from "misstep," a compound of the prefix "mis-" (wrong, faulty) and "step," meaning a movement of the foot. The noun "step" has Old English roots and has long been used figuratively for an action or measure taken, which is how "misstep" came to mean a mistaken action rather than a stumbled footfall. The literal sense of stepping wrongly, losing one's footing, came first, and the figurative sense of a poor decision grew out of it. The plural "missteps" simply counts separate instances of such errors. Its ending is the ordinary English plural "-s" attached to the noun "misstep," so each error is treated as a discrete step taken in the wrong direction.

Synonyms: blunders, mistakes, errors, slips, fumbles

Antonyms: successes, triumphs, achievements, victories, wins