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booby-trap 1 of 2

verb

Definition of booby-trapnext
as in to attack
to place hidden explosive devices in or under booby-trapped the field bordering the army's camp

Synonyms & Similar Words

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booby trap

2 of 2

noun

1
as in mine
a usually concealed explosive device designed to go off when disturbed luckily, the bomb squad didn't find any booby traps

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
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

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of 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
Picture Indiana Jones swapping his fedora for a Han dynasty helmet, dodging booby traps in dusty Chinese tombs. — Urnesha Bhattacherjee, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026 In the days leading up to the attack, Ghazali allegedly rigged his truck with booby traps, fireworks, explosives, and large amounts of gasoline. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for booby-trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for booby-trap
  1. attack
  2. mine
  3. hitch
  4. bomb
  5. land mine
  6. trap
  7. risk
  8. snag
Verb
  • Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone leaders say the pastor’s words attack their identity and echo past religious assimilation, spurring weekly demonstrations and new rules requiring outside ministries to seek tribal approval.
    — Savannah Peters, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • To beat the odds, founders need to plan for a long-term goal that is relevant and achievable, then attack it in a series of sprints that enable incremental growth.
    — Deann Evans, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Industrial operators can deploy them to inspect narrow pipelines, ventilation shafts, sewers, and underground mines for structural flaws.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The Al-Zara gold mine is one of thousands of small-scale and informal mines scattered across Sudan, which has been engulfed in a war that has at times pushed parts of the country into famine.
    — Yasir Abdallah, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of mine
Noun
  • As Clear Lake faces mercury contamination, toxic algal blooms and predatory invasive fish, the Clear Lake hitch — known by local tribes as the chi — are in serious trouble.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Swing trailer-hitch bike rack this summer and absolutely loved it.
    — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hitch
Verb
  • In 2025, American and Israeli forces had bombed Iran’s nuclear-enrichment facilities, which Western leaders said were engaged in a decades-long drive to develop a nuclear weapon.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Colonizers call it voluntary emigration, but there is nothing voluntary about fleeing after your home has been bombed, your fields poisoned, your water cut off and your child buried.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of bomb
Noun
  • Poy was wounded in a second land mine explosion that pierced his face and body with shrapnel and killed three of his colleagues.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • More than any other sports league, the WNBA is fraught with land mines that are ready to explode whenever a Black woman — like, Alyssa Thomas — commits a hard foul on, say, the league’s most visible star, Caitlin Clark.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of land mine
Verb
  • Coxon argued that corporate competition has trapped labs in a hubristic race that forces them to build dangerous systems first.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Markets seem trapped in a cycle of Iran tensions leading to higher oil prices, which leads to stocks moving lower and ultimately inflation concerns rising.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of trap
Noun
  • For their part, Chinese leaders have also sounded the alarm about AI, warning of the risks posed by foreign entities with advanced capabilities.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Today, the most-valuable conversations are about what the information means, what risk is emerging and what action should be taken next.
    — Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of risk
Noun
  • Evans explains that a dead or dying tree, typically called a snag, provides ecosystem benefits, including habitat for birds and other wildlife, food and shelter for insects, and organic matter and structure for soil health.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Gurman claims the foldable is still on track for this fall, despite chatter about manufacturing snags.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of snag

Browse Nearby Words

booby
booby-trap
booby trap
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Cite this Entry

“Booby-trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/booby-trap. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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