1
as in mines
a usually concealed explosive device designed to go off when disturbed
luckily, the bomb squad didn't find any booby traps
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in risks
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 traps
CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Specialized teams were called to the scene to defuse booby traps in the building, police said.
—FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
These may show up in Ukraine before long, perhaps walking ahead of patrols to find booby traps and clear routes through minefields, or taking bullets to expose enemy firing position.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Colonial militias attempted periodic raids, but historical records report that they were met with rugged terrain, booby traps and counterattacks.
—Justin Dunnavant, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
Specialized teams were called to the scene to defuse booby traps in the residential building, city police said.
—CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Specialized teams were called to the scene to defuse booby traps in the building, police said.
—FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
These may show up in Ukraine before long, perhaps walking ahead of patrols to find booby traps and clear routes through minefields, or taking bullets to expose enemy firing position.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Colonial militias attempted periodic raids, but historical records report that they were met with rugged terrain, booby traps and counterattacks.
—Justin Dunnavant, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for booby traps
Noun
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From chemistry to caring Ramirez was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, known for its silver mines, agriculture, and strong cultural pride.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Over the next generation, Chinese companies began buying control of lithium mines around the world.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Despite the risks, Democratic strategists like James Carville believe the party is better positioned politically, noting that Republicans control both the House and the Senate, as well as the White House.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Powell said a sharp cooldown of hiring over the summer had shifted the balance of risks toward greater concern over the labor market rather than inflation.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There are different ways to demine territory, from using dogs to sniff out land mines to sappers—combat engineers focusing on clearing mines—manually working their way through an area, or operators remotely controlling large demining machines.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
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The ninth inning revealed other land mines.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The two-door, three-person Can-Am Defender Limited and the four-door, six-person Defender Max Limited have 82-horsepower engines, power steering, tow hitches with a 2,500-pound towing capacity, winches, air conditioning and heating, a full hard roof and a three-position tilt-up glass windshield.—
Steve Waters,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
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My connection often improved a few minutes later, but those drops could result in stuttering in games, hitches in streaming, and slow file downloads.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Developers have yet to break ground, while people familiar with the matter in the UAE, Nairobi, and Washington catalog problems with the project, extending from grand geopolitics to quotidian financial snags.—
Alexis Akwagyiram,
semafor.com,
22 Sep. 2025
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That could provide a backup plan if the state charges hit snags, said Cassell, echoing another famous Utah case.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Booby traps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/booby%20traps. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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