trapdoor
noun
trap·door
ˈtrap-ˈdȯr 
: a lifting or sliding door covering an opening (as in a roof, ceiling, or floor)
Examples of trapdoor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Authorities found a kilo of fentanyl in a closet and 12 more kilos of narcotics under a trapdoor in the children's playroom.
—
Doha Madani, NBC news, 4 Mar. 2026
Richarlison became a hero for Everton in the 2021-22 season, scoring six times in their final 10 matches to inspire what had for a while looked an unlikely escape from the trapdoor that leads to the Championship.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
But the culture does prime young men to align themselves emotionally with sports and then offer them the trapdoor of an opportunity to return on that investment.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
To O’Connor, humor is a trapdoor, a way to disarm the audience in order to deliver that emotional payload.
—Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trapdoor
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Doha Madani, NBC news, 4 Mar. 2026
Richarlison became a hero for Everton in the 2021-22 season, scoring six times in their final 10 matches to inspire what had for a while looked an unlikely escape from the trapdoor that leads to the Championship.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
But the culture does prime young men to align themselves emotionally with sports and then offer them the trapdoor of an opportunity to return on that investment.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
To O’Connor, humor is a trapdoor, a way to disarm the audience in order to deliver that emotional payload.
—Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trapdoor
Cite this Entry
“Trapdoor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trapdoor. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
trapdoor
noun
trap·door
ˈtrap-ˈdō(ə)r
-ˈdȯ(ə)r
: a lifting or sliding door covering or hiding an opening in a roof, ceiling, or floor
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