A misstep is a mistake or error in judgment, like taking a wrong step that throws you off balance. When a dancer makes a misstep during a performance, they might stumble or move out of sync with the music. When a student makes a misstep in solving a math problem, they might use the wrong operation or misread a number.

The word captures both physical stumbles and mental mistakes. A politician might make a misstep by saying something careless that upsets voters. A chess player makes a misstep by moving a piece that leaves their king vulnerable. Your friend might make a misstep by accidentally revealing a surprise party.

What makes something a misstep rather than a disaster is its size: missteps are usually recoverable mistakes, not catastrophes. When you make a misstep, you can often correct it, apologize, or learn from it. A single misstep in a long project doesn't doom the whole thing, though ignoring repeated missteps can lead to bigger problems. Everyone makes missteps; what matters is noticing them and adjusting course.