entrapment

noun

en·trap·ment | \ in-ˈtrap-mənt ,

en- \

Definition of entrapment

1a : the action or process of entrapping

b : the condition of being entrapped

2 : the action of luring an individual into committing a crime in order to prosecute the person for it

3 medical : chronic compression of a peripheral nerve (such as the median nerve) usually between ligamentous and bony surfaces that is marked by pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness

Examples of entrapment in a Sentence

her entrapment in an unhappy marriage His lawyer argued that he was a victim of police entrapment.

Recent Examples on the Web

So, yes, that's entrapment, and that's something that we're not supposed to be involved with. — Fox News, "Sen. Rand Paul: Why have we been in Afghanistan 17 years?," 7 June 2018 The special traces their plight from their entrapment to the last rescue, 18 days later. — Andrew R. Chow, New York Times, "What’s on TV Friday: ‘Operation Thai Cave Rescue’ and Jim Jefferies," 13 July 2018 And allowing themselves to be touched? Reeks of entrapment. — Jeet Heer, The New Republic, "Was there something fishy about Stormy Daniels’s arrest?," 12 July 2018 Those dioramas, which once served as a therapeutic outlet, become a striking metaphor for a family’s entrapment. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "'Hereditary' is a new horror classic, and a triumph for Toni Collette," 7 June 2018 Historians of the gay rights movement say Mr. Leitsch was instrumental in ending police entrapment in New York. — Robert D. Mcfadden, New York Times, "Dick Leitsch, Whose ‘Sip-In’ Was a Gay Rights Milestone, Dies at 83," 22 June 2018 Defense lawyers said their clients were victims of government entrapment, tricked into self-incriminating acts, but had no intent to commit crimes. — Robert D. Mcfadden, BostonGlobe.com, "Mel Weinberg, 93, con man portrayed in ‘American Hustle’," 10 June 2018 Defense lawyers said their clients were victims of government entrapment, tricked into self-incriminating acts, but had no intent to commit crimes. — Robert D. Mcfadden, New York Times, "Mel Weinberg, 93, the F.B.I.’s Lure in the Abscam Sting, Dies," 6 June 2018 Criminal defense attorneys, however, regard the entrapment defense as one of the least likely defenses to repel a prosecution. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Examining the NCAA Probe: Did the FBI Unfairly Target Christian Dawkins?," 23 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'entrapment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

2 Aug 2018

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The first known use of entrapment was in 1597

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More Definitions for entrapment

entrapment

noun

English Language Learners Definition of entrapment

: the act of entrapping someone or something or the condition of being entrapped

: the illegal act of tricking someone into committing a crime so that the person you have tricked can be arrested

See the full definition for entrapment in the English Language Learners Dictionary

entrapment

noun

en·trap·ment | \ in-ˈtrap-mənt, en-

Medical Definition of entrapment

: chronic compression of a peripheral nerve (as the median nerve or ulnar nerve) usually between ligamentous and bony surfaces that is characterized especially by pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness

entrapment

noun

en·trap·ment

Legal Definition of entrapment

1 : the action or process of entrapping

2 : the state or condition of being entrapped also : the affirmative defense of having been entrapped by a government agent (as an officer or informant) — see also predispose

Note: Entrapment is available as a defense only when an agent of the state or federal government has provided the encouragement or inducement. This defense is sometimes allowed in administrative proceedings (as for the revocation of a license to practice medicine) as well as criminal proceedings. In order to establish entrapment, the defendant has the burden of proving either that he or she would not have committed the crime but for the undue persuasion or fraud of the government agent, or that the encouragement was such that it created a risk that persons not inclined to commit the crime would commit it, depending on the jurisdiction. When entrapment is pleaded, evidence (as character evidence) regarding the defendant that might otherwise have been excluded is allowed to be admitted.