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
Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Both of Seatrium’s predecessor companies were ensnared in Operation Car Wash, Brazil’s sweeping anti-corruption investigation that eventually consumed much of the country’s political and business establishment.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
This is not the first time Polymarket has been ensnared in controversy.
—Niamh Kennedy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
At least 75 vehicles were ensnared in a massive, chain-reaction pileup on a Colorado highway Tuesday, authorities said.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
The legal team’s withdrawal from the case marks the latest update in the tangled knot of litigation that has ensnared the city and Carollo for years, stemming from the same general allegations levied by Little Havana businessmen Bill Fuller and Martin Pinilla.
—Tess Riski
april 14, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
The narrative was positive for the Gibbs organization, which has been ensnared in some unflattering headlines after suing former competition director Chris Gabehart for breach of contract.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium sent a laser through traffic that Dostál ensnared to leave the score at 2-1 through 40 minutes.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
It's ensnared all kinds of products, including phones, laptops, and consoles, forcing consumers to pay more or hold off on purchases.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
Feldstein Soto ran on a promise to crack down on no-bid contracts — a stance prompted in part by the corruption scandal that ensnared the office of her predecessor, former City Atty.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Both of Seatrium’s predecessor companies were ensnared in Operation Car Wash, Brazil’s sweeping anti-corruption investigation that eventually consumed much of the country’s political and business establishment.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
This is not the first time Polymarket has been ensnared in controversy.
—Niamh Kennedy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
At least 75 vehicles were ensnared in a massive, chain-reaction pileup on a Colorado highway Tuesday, authorities said.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
The legal team’s withdrawal from the case marks the latest update in the tangled knot of litigation that has ensnared the city and Carollo for years, stemming from the same general allegations levied by Little Havana businessmen Bill Fuller and Martin Pinilla.
—Tess Riski
april 14, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
The narrative was positive for the Gibbs organization, which has been ensnared in some unflattering headlines after suing former competition director Chris Gabehart for breach of contract.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium sent a laser through traffic that Dostál ensnared to leave the score at 2-1 through 40 minutes.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
It's ensnared all kinds of products, including phones, laptops, and consoles, forcing consumers to pay more or hold off on purchases.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnared
Adjective
-
Why moisture control matters most Bathrooms are humid by design, but trapped moisture is the single biggest driver of buildup, mold and air-quality concerns.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The teams joined forces on the final part of the ascent, but when a savage storm struck on a section known as the Chandelle, the men became trapped on the pillar for four days and nights without food, shelter, or escape.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The animal—forty feet long and weighing twelve tons, roughly the scale of a city bus—was tangled up in fishing net and rope.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
-
No punches, but the two tangled, spilling toward the sideline as Okongwu tried to separate them.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Play-in bound, seed still TBA: Los Angeles Clippers, Portland, Charlotte, Miami.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Apr. 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
-
Djimon Hounsou played Maximus’ right-hand man and closest ally, a Black Numidian man taken from his home as an enslaved gladiator.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
-
Because sugar plantations were so large and enslaved populations were so preponderant, whites feared that any tumult would end with their heads on pikes.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ensnared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnared. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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