booby trap

noun

1

: a trap for the unwary or unsuspecting : pitfall

2

: a concealed explosive device contrived to go off when some harmless-looking object is touched

booby-trap

ˈbü-bē-ˌtrap 

transitive verb

Synonyms of booby trap

• mine

Examples of booby trap in a Sentence

Someone had rigged a booby trap that blew up the car when the engine was started.

We set a booby trap by balancing a bucket of water on top of the door so that it would fall on him when he came in.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the meantime, his insatiable paranoia will be exacerbated by the missing family cat, and his decision to let the alarm company booby trap the house with fog bombs will literally blow up in his face. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026

Before this dilemma can play out, Hal triggers an Indiana Jones–esque booby trap inside the compound’s stronghold, summoning Macon’s men with their advanced weaponry. — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026

But first, Roy has to undo all the booby traps in there placed to mess with visiting teams’ heads. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

The gauntlet of booby traps culminating in the giant boulder that kick off Raiders is my single favorite opening sequence in a movie ever. — Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly, 13 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for booby trap

• handicap
• overlap
• thunderclap
• wiretap
• app
• cap
• chap
• clap
• crap
• flap
• frap
• gap

Kids Definition

booby trap

noun

: a trap for a careless or unsuspecting person

especially : a concealed explosive device set to go off when a harmless-looking object is touched

boobytrap

ˈbü-bē-ˌtrap

verb