tourist trap

noun

: a place that attracts and exploits tourists

Examples of tourist trap in a Sentence

The street market is a tourist trap that mostly sells cheap souvenirs. That hotel is just a tourist trap.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Urban green spaces, interactive art parks, summer festivals, local food markets—many cities publish event calendars with zero-cost options that aren’t tourist traps. Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 The colors, textures and lighting are ripe for Instagramming, leading some critics to dismiss the installations as art candy or a tourist trap. The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 June 2025 Instead of randomly flinging yourself into tourist traps, do some research ahead of time. Tonia Ryan, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025 Gustavo Arellano: Disneyland has already turned my hometown into a giant tourist trap. Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for tourist trap

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tourist trap was in 1942

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tourist trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tourist%20trap. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!