ensnare

verb

en·​snare in-ˈsner 

en-

ensnared; ensnaring; ensnares

transitive verb

: to take in or as if in a snare

Synonyms of ensnare

• trap
• tangle
• entrap

Choose the Right Synonym for ensnare

catch, capture, trap, snare, entrap, ensnare, bag mean to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing.

catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

trap, snare, entrap, ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor.

trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals

snared butterflies with a net

entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question

a sting operation that ensnared burglars

bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

Examples of ensnare in a Sentence

The animals got ensnared in the net.

The police successfully ensnared the burglar.

Recent Examples on the Web

Partners cannot tell which agreements will be ensnared in the next scandal, which encourages them to hedge. — Matias Spektor, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026

Of course Charles would be suspicious of this pretty, educated girl who shows up out of nowhere, refuses to share what brought her here, and has clearly ensnared Adam. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

The white-hot brightness of Diana’s spotlight also ensnared her brother, Charles Spencer. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026

From SiriusXM to gym memberships to streaming services, automatic rollovers are ensnaring consumers into subscriptions all across the economy. — Lindsay Owens, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ensnare

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

ensnare

verb

en·​snare in-ˈsna(ə)r 

-ˈsne(ə)r

: snare entry 2 sense 1, entrap