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booby-trap 1 of 2

verb

Definition of booby-trapnext
as in to attack
to place hidden explosive devices in or under booby-trapped the field bordering the army's camp

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booby trap

2 of 2

noun

1
as in mine
a usually concealed explosive device designed to go off when disturbed luckily, the bomb squad didn't find any booby traps

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2
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized he noticed the booby trap in the interviewer's question just a little too late

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of booby-trap
Verb
So what is a modernist like Mayer, who made such cool craft of ancient stuff 20 years ago with Spring Awakening, to do with something as hokey and booby-trapped as Chess? — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
Picture Indiana Jones swapping his fedora for a Han dynasty helmet, dodging booby traps in dusty Chinese tombs. — Urnesha Bhattacherjee, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026 In the days leading up to the attack, Ghazali allegedly rigged his truck with booby traps, fireworks, explosives, and large amounts of gasoline. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for booby-trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for booby-trap
  1. attack
  2. mine
  3. hitch
  4. bomb
  5. land mine
  6. trap
  7. risk
  8. snag
Verb
  • An official of Congo's ruling party UDPS, Marie-Célestin Karondwa, was attacked by unknown suspects Sunday for defending the government's measures against Ebola on a radio program and was in critical condition, according to the UDPS.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Additionally, the agents were apparently not instructed to attack or compromise the UN website.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Her bangs look a darker brown and what appears to be her old mine cut diamond engagement ring is on full display.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Instead of developing another mine, operators could add more offshore collection capacity.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of mine
Noun
  • That type of physicality can come in handy on plays like quick hitches, screens, drags run over the middle of the field.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Iconic views of both sea and Grand Prix road below the cantilevered hills ensure that guests slide into the prestigious fantasy of the place with nary a hitch.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of hitch
Verb
  • Ukraine has been systematically bombing some of those refineries, severely curtailing the global supply of diesel fuel.
    — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Most of these were later destroyed when the family house was bombed during the Lebanese Civil War of 1975.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of bomb
Noun
  • His Minderoo Foundation—named for the cattle ranch of his childhood—has since given about $28 million to Ukraine’s schools and agricultural projects, and to clearing land mines.
    — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In August 2015, land mine blasts maimed two South Korean soldiers and caused tensions between the two Koreas to flare.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of land mine
Verb
  • In 2023, a blizzard dumped unprecedented amounts of snow, trapping people inside for days.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Emergency crews in Sea Bright, New Jersey, rescued a woman and her dog after their vehicle became trapped in floodwaters, ABC7 reported.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of trap
Noun
  • In July, the Drug Enforcement Agency proposed temporarily designating 7-OH above a certain threshold of potency as Schedule I, the category for drugs that carry the most risk without any medical benefit.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Flood maps, which are commonly out of date, don't consider some types of flood risk, such as flooding from inland heavy rains.
    — MICHAEL PHILLIS, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of risk
Noun
  • All three films also emphasize the physical toll of the urge to smash, snag, and steal.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Evans explains that a dead or dying tree, typically called a snag, provides ecosystem benefits, including habitat for birds and other wildlife, food and shelter for insects, and organic matter and structure for soil health.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of snag

Browse Nearby Words

booby
booby-trap
booby trap
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Cite this Entry

“Booby-trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/booby-trap. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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