as in trapped
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as in tangled
to catch or hold as if in a net
parked just out of view, the state trooper was lying in wait to ensnare unwary speeders
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Recent Examples of ensnared
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
The money is being distributed through FEMA, part of the Department of Homeland Security, which has been ensnared in a partial government shutdown amid a political fight in Washington over immigration enforcement.
—Chase Rogers, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
Yet at the same time, a broader anti-DEI push on the right has also ensnared Jewish projects, or generated confusion among university administrators as to whether Jewish events should be canceled on campuses where DEI is outlawed.
—Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
The investigation also ensnared 34 other individuals and led to 55 violations in total.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
In week two of the biggest military operation of his presidency − a conflict that already has ensnared the Gulf states and NATO − the repercussions of rising oil prices are stoking his biggest political problem at home.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
The Iran war, now in its second week, has ensnared countries and places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
The Iran war, now in its second week, has ensnared places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf, leading to price surges on global markets.
—Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Documents concerning UAPs are commonly ensnared with such sensitive intelligence that could impact national security if publicly disclosed, and would implicate a thorough declassification process.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
In its eagerness to bring other downtown projects to life, Miami has sprung a three-prong trap on itself that has ensnared the financial vitality of Bayfront Park.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
The money is being distributed through FEMA, part of the Department of Homeland Security, which has been ensnared in a partial government shutdown amid a political fight in Washington over immigration enforcement.
—Chase Rogers, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
Yet at the same time, a broader anti-DEI push on the right has also ensnared Jewish projects, or generated confusion among university administrators as to whether Jewish events should be canceled on campuses where DEI is outlawed.
—Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
The investigation also ensnared 34 other individuals and led to 55 violations in total.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
In week two of the biggest military operation of his presidency − a conflict that already has ensnared the Gulf states and NATO − the repercussions of rising oil prices are stoking his biggest political problem at home.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
The Iran war, now in its second week, has ensnared countries and places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
The Iran war, now in its second week, has ensnared places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf, leading to price surges on global markets.
—Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Documents concerning UAPs are commonly ensnared with such sensitive intelligence that could impact national security if publicly disclosed, and would implicate a thorough declassification process.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnared
Adjective
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Restaurant owners say packaging directly affects how food holds up during takeout because trapped steam, temperature loss and movement during delivery can affect everything from crispness to presentation.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Two people were taken to a hospital after one of them became trapped under several large pieces of stone in Waterford on Monday.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Dunn got tangled up with defenders, and Clemson got possession of the ball with four seconds on the clock.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
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And despite lacking drawstrings that might get tangled in the wash, its generously-sized hood covers and stays up on my daughter’s big head (99th percentile, thank you very much).—
The Editors,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Buddhism and Hinduism spread across East and Southeast Asia without it, while many monotheisms—Judaism among them—remained bound to particular peoples.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The Dodgers’ split-squad group that journeyed the 14 miles from Glendale (and ultimately lost to Texas, 7-6) was largely a skeleton crew of Triple-A bound prospects and wannabes.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
White, Black, Indigenous, enslaved and free women provided labor in the form of nursing, cooking, and making and maintaining clothes that was essential to military encampments.—
Marla Miller,
The Conversation,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The video, which surfaced on Instagram around the time of a playoff game between Birdville and Burleson Centennial, used a scene from the 1970s television series Roots that shows an enslaved Black man yielding to a slave master.—
Myah Taylor,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ensnared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnared. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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