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as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
he noticed the booby trap in the interviewer's question just a little too late
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of booby-trap
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
While claims of booby traps and rivers of mercury would likely make anyone think twice about entering the tomb, this is not the main barrier to full excavation.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for booby-trap
Verb
So what is a modernist like Mayer, who made such cool craft of ancient stuff 20 years ago with Spring Awakening, to do with something as hokey and booby-trapped as Chess?
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
When two bumbling thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) attempt to rob his home, Kevin begins an elaborately violent, slapstick battle of wits via booby traps involving a tarantula, paint buckets, and flamethrowers.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
While claims of booby traps and rivers of mercury would likely make anyone think twice about entering the tomb, this is not the main barrier to full excavation.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for booby-trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for booby-trap
Verb
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When Sibomana-Rodriguez was 6 years old and living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he, his cousin and his brother were attacked by a swarm of chimpanzees.—
Daniel S. Levine,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Be sure that the rear lure always has a hook, as the bass typically key in on the ‘straggler’ when attacking a ball of bait.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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What mine cost me was the full weight of Black comedy that thrived entirely on its own terms, answerable only to Black audiences and no one else.—
Geoff Bennett,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
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Minesweeping duties were turned over to three littoral combat ships equipped with the mine-countermeasures package, but the location of those ships has not been disclosed.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Both ballot measures failed, but post-election analysis showed that both counties pulled off all-mail balloting without much of a hitch or any challenge to its procedures or validity.—
ORLANDO SENTINEL AND MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL BOARDS,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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The second test went off without a hitch in 2019.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran’s enrichment capabilities have been reduced by bombing this year and last.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
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Lots of writers are funny, but no one ever said Toni Morrison bombed last night.—
Chris Rock,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Apopo says more than six million land mines may still be buried in the soil of Cambodia.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
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OpenAI’s paper conspicuously avoids specifying a corporate tax rate, a diplomatic omission that suggests the company knows where the political land mines are buried.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The bodies of two workers trapped when a stairwell roof collapsed at a parking garage under construction in Philadelphia have been found, authorities announced Monday morning.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
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However, the party piece is that the air trapped under the wing creates a high-pressure cushion effect with a lift-to-drag ratio beyond that of a conventional aircraft.—
David Szondy
April 13,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Prosecutors had opposed bail and argued there was a risk that Roberts-Smith would flee Australia or interfere with witnesses and evidence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Yet technology experts warn that outsourcing key decisions to AI exposes consumers to risks, potentially leading to communications errors and costing people money, while also potentially handing hackers the keys to their data.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Your intense focus can turn initial success into lasting momentum, while positive self-talk prevents burnout if any snags slow the pace.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
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But in typical Netflix-binge-method fashion, the episode’s closing sequence obliterates any narrative snags by shocking us with a cliffhanger.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Booby-trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/booby-trap. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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