death trap

noun

: a structure or situation that is potentially very dangerous to life

Examples of death trap in a Sentence

That old elevator is a death trap.

The factory was a death trap with too few exits for the workers to use in case of a fire.

Recent Examples on the Web

The ice bridge, once a winter wonderland, had become a death trap. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

In much of the country, the popular conception of self-driving cars is something between a bumbling idiot and a mechanical death trap. — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026

Claude, in its enthusiasm, gave me instructions on how to turn a river into a death trap that could be ignited to destroy unwanted visitors. — IEEE Spectrum, 14 July 2026

My apartment is essentially a death trap to anyone with a nut allergy. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for death trap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• burlap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• madcap

Kids Definition

death trap

noun

: an object or situation likely to cause death

that old elevator is a death trap