trap

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈtrap 

1

: a device for taking game or other animals

especially : one that holds by springing shut suddenly

2

a

: something by which one is caught or stopped unawares

also : a position or situation from which it is difficult or impossible to escape

b

: a football play in which a defensive player is allowed to cross the line of scrimmage and then is blocked from the side while the ballcarrier advances through the spot vacated by the defensive player

c

: the act or an instance of trapping the ball in soccer

d

: a defensive maneuver in basketball in which two defenders converge quickly on the ball handler to steal the ball or force a bad pass

3

a

: a device for hurling clay pigeons into the air

b

: sand trap

c

: a piece of leather or section of interwoven leather straps between the thumb and index finger of a baseball glove that forms an extension of the pocket

4

slang : mouth

5

: a light usually one-horse carriage with springs

6

: any of various devices for preventing passage of something often while allowing other matter to proceed

especially : a device for drains or sewers consisting of a bend or partitioned chamber in which the liquid forms a seal to prevent the passage of sewer gas

7

traps plural : a group of percussion instruments (such as a bass drum, snare drums, and cymbals) used especially in a dance or jazz band

8

: an arrangement of rock strata that favors the accumulation of oil and gas

9

traps plural [speed trap] : a measured stretch of a course over which electronic timing devices measure the speed of a vehicle (such as a racing car or dragster)

trap

2 of 5

verb (1)

trapped; trapping; traps

transitive verb

1

a

: to catch or take in or as if in a trap : entrap

b

: to place in a restricted position : confine

trapped in the burning wreck

2

: to provide or set (a place) with traps

3

a

: stop, hold

these mountains trap rains and fogs generated over the ocean

—Amer. Guide Series: Calif.

b

: to separate out (something, such as water from steam)

4

a

: to catch (something, such as a baseball) immediately after a bounce

b

: to block out (a defensive football player) by means of a trap

c

: to stop and gain control of (a soccer ball) with a part of the body other than the hands or arms

intransitive verb

1

: to engage in trapping animals (as for furs)

2

: to make a defensive trap in basketball

trapper noun

trap

3 of 5

noun (2)

variants or trap music

: rap music typically featuring heavy bass, synthesized drums, and triplet-based (see triplet sense 3) rhythms

Trap, an Atlanta-born rap subgenre, is characterized by sharp snares and booming bass, as well as … minor-key melodies.

—Walter Thompson-Hernández

The start of the digital era saw the popularity of trap music taking over the underground rap scene …

—Kyann-Sian Williams

Just think of how many hip-hop trends, from the street-hardened fatalism and stark beats of trap music to the punchy, triplet flow spawned by Migos' experimentalism, have bubbled up from the underground, and eventually even altered the feel of mainstream pop.

—Jewly Hight

—often used before another noun

Many trap artists utilize the triplet flow …

—Jay Quan

The series follows young adults on the … rap and trap music scene …

—Pablo Sandoval

With "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X twanged country tropes over a trap beat …

—Chris Kelly

trap

4 of 5

verb (2)

trapped; trapping; traps

transitive verb

: to adorn with or as if with trappings or decorations

The knightly housing's ample fold / Was velvet blue, and trapped with gold.

—Walter Scott

trap

5 of 5

noun (3)

plural traps

: traprock

—often used before another noun

trap soils

trap basalt

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• ambush
• snare

Verb (1)

• tangle
• entrap
• snare
• ensnare
• mesh

Choose the Right Synonym for trap

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 trap in a Sentence

Noun (1)

undercover agents devised a trap to catch the counterfeiters

a bear trap

an overland route to the Far East that was once notorious for the many robbers who laid traps for unsuspecting wayfarers

the promotion is really just a trap to keep her from taking a new job elsewhere

shut your trap before someone belts you one!

Verb (1)

an ambitious young man who was now trapped in a series of shady business deals

finally trapped the annoying fly in the palm of his hand

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Wyoming’s wildlife agency, for example, traps and relocates conflict bears (or kills problem bears if allowed by the Fish and Wildlife Service), knocks on doors to calm nervous landowners, hands out bear spray, and reminds campers not to cook chili in their tents. —Christine Peterson, Vox, 27 June 2025

The pricing trap: Most service businesses bill by the hour. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 June 2025

Verb

If not, neighbors, friends, or anyone nearby needs to know that they could be trapped. —Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

After the World Trade Center’s South Tower came crashing down around his ears on 9/11, trapping him under the rubble for several hours, retired Port Authority Police Department Sgt. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English treppe & Anglo-French trape (of Germanic origin); akin to Middle Dutch trappe trap, stair, Old English treppan to tread

Noun (2)

probably after trap or trap house "building or apartment where illicit drugs are sold," from trap entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English trappen, from trappe caparison, from Anglo-French trape, probably from Medieval Latin trapus cloth, by-form of Late Latin drappus

Noun (3)

Swedish trapp, from trappa stair, from Middle Low German trappe; akin to Middle Dutch trappe stair

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

2003, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1794, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing trap

• blacklight trap
• death trap
• keep one's trap shut
• leghold trap
• light trap
• live trap
• lobster trap
• poverty trap
• rat trap cheese
• sand trap
• speed trap
• spring a trap
• steel-trap
• thirst trap
• tourist trap
• trap beat
• trap-door spider
• trap music

Rhymes for trap

• app
• cap
• chap
• clap
• crap
• flap
• frap
• gap
• hap
• lap
• nap
• nappe

Kids Definition

trap

1 of 2 noun

ˈtrap 

1

: a device for catching animals

especially : one that catches by springing shut suddenly

2

: something by which one is caught unawares

3

a

: a device for hurling clay pigeons into the air

b

: sand trap

4

: a light usually one-horse carriage with springs

5

: any of various devices for preventing passage of one thing often while allowing something else to proceed

especially : a device for drains or sewers consisting of a bend or chamber in which the liquid forms a seal to prevent the passage of sewer gas

6

plural : a group of percussion instruments (as in a dance band)

trap

2 of 2 verb

trapped; trapping

1

a

: to catch in or as if in a trap

trap a bird

b

: to place in a restricted position : confine

was almost trapped in the burning building

2

: to provide or set with a trap

3

: to engage in trapping animals (as for fur)

trapper noun