trap

1 of 2

verb

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

trapper

2 of 2

noun

ˈtrapə(r)

plural -s

1

: one that traps: such as

a

: one whose business is trapping animals for furs or food or for sale alive

b

: one that traps fish

2

: a boy who attends to the opening and closing of ventilation doors in a mine

3

: one that manages a trap for trapshooting

4

: a horse that draws a trap

5

British : a pointsman who points or switches trucks or cars into a siding

Synonyms of trap

Verb

• 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

Verb

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

Verb

If trapped by moving water, seek the highest possible point and contact emergency services by calling 911. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 10 June 2026

Opening windows on opposite sides of the house creates cross-ventilation, allowing fresh air to move through the home rather than becoming trapped in one area. —Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 10 June 2026

In addition to routine pest management, a specialized pest and wildlife control company will be utilized to significantly increase the number and variety of the trapping mechanisms used both inside and outside the building. —Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 10 June 2026

Imagine a sprawling family with nine kids, all mourning the death of the most recent addition; the brood, which recently relocated from the big city to the country on a whim, is also feeling trapped in the new house. —Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 10 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

Verb

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

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