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
Their 2025-26 season has been littered with injury landmines and other booby traps hidden in the walls of Ball Arena. — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Jan. 2026 Deputies said during the initial call that neighbors had reported gunshots being fired and that a second caller, who claimed to have fired the gun, had placed booby traps around a home in the Kavala Ranch development. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 27 Jan. 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
  • Okot applied that advice by limiting unnecessary dribbles and attacking the basket more efficiently.
    — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 28 July 2026
  • With attacking talent aplenty – including star man Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola – Zidane will have to figure out a way to find harmony among his forward options.
    — Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • The strait has been largely shut by Iranian attacks on commercial ships and mines in subsequent months.
    — Dan Diamond, Washington Post, 25 July 2026
  • Tehran has provided the group with sea mines, ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones), according to a 2021 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
Definition of mine
Noun
  • The trailer relies on a hitch coupler force sensor to provide continuous feedback on the pull on the tow vehicle, managing the trailer's movement by increasing motor output or applying the electro-mechanical brakes located at all four wheels.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 23 July 2026
  • Their receiver’s probably never seen an actual hitch put into it.
    — Joel Feder, The Drive, 9 July 2026
Definition of hitch
Verb
  • The alleged joke bombed, greeted by the dinner attendees with silence.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 July 2026
  • Bahrain and Kuwait secretly sent fighter jets to bomb Iran, marking their first such attacks, sources told the Journal.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Definition of bomb
Noun
  • One image showing land mines was widely republished by Thai media outlets and bolstered Thailand's claims that Cambodia had laid new mines along the border that wounded patrolling Thai soldiers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 June 2026
  • The younger Modrić’s childhood home in the village of Jasenice was abandoned and remains so to this day, with signs warning visitors of land mines in the area.
    — Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 June 2026
Definition of land mine
Verb
  • That ought to be advantageous for the Spaniard, who seemed too often to run aground when trapped inside in a more narrow system.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • These defects trap electrical charges, which lowers efficiency and makes permanent damage more likely during reverse-bias operation.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
Definition of trap
Noun
  • This places the District at significant risk of being in violation of the law and collective bargaining agreements.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Odulio, who could not be reached for comment, previously worked as a federal trial attorney for the Department of Justice and as a senior operational risk manager for Wells Fargo.
    — Julia Coin July 31, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
Definition of risk
Noun
  • For Yasmina, who already has one foot in Europe, such a blast from the past feels like a strange cosmic snag.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
  • Although viewed as a bar-setter, the Eagles could hit a few snags this season.
    — Mike Jones, New York Times, 22 July 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 1 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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