as in trapping
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 ensnaring
After months of investigating allegations of a $140 million Ponzi scheme, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office has made numerous criminal referrals and issued $1 million in fines, ensnaring a number of state GOP figures.
—
Olivia Rubin, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
More so, though, Levin took it upon himself to appeal directly to the person who wrote the note, at the very least cautioning them against ensnaring themselves in a federal crime.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
That observation drove home for me how ensnaring this oppression must feel, how vast the spatial footprint of ICE’s boot.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
The Greek name is of uncertain origin, but it’s often linked to ideas of binding, entangling, or ensnaring—reflecting the Sirens’ deadly allure.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Montespan’s rivals accused her of ensnaring the king using the dark art of potions.
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Out of her depth, Diane digs deeper into the investigation, her determination to uncover the truth revealing a web of corruption and danger at the highest levels, ensnaring Diane, her family and all those around her.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, funding for critical government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC), as well as national flood insurance are running critically low on funds, potentially ensnaring millions of Americans.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
And yet, these counterattacks may be ensnaring scientists in a catch-22.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2025
Olivia Rubin, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
More so, though, Levin took it upon himself to appeal directly to the person who wrote the note, at the very least cautioning them against ensnaring themselves in a federal crime.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
That observation drove home for me how ensnaring this oppression must feel, how vast the spatial footprint of ICE’s boot.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
The Greek name is of uncertain origin, but it’s often linked to ideas of binding, entangling, or ensnaring—reflecting the Sirens’ deadly allure.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Montespan’s rivals accused her of ensnaring the king using the dark art of potions.
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Out of her depth, Diane digs deeper into the investigation, her determination to uncover the truth revealing a web of corruption and danger at the highest levels, ensnaring Diane, her family and all those around her.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, funding for critical government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC), as well as national flood insurance are running critically low on funds, potentially ensnaring millions of Americans.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
And yet, these counterattacks may be ensnaring scientists in a catch-22.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnaring
Verb
-
Climate change warms the atmosphere, raising baseline temperatures and making heat-trapping weather patterns more intense and longer-lasting.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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By nature, latex foam is very responsive (for comfort without sinking in), ventilates by not trapping heat, and, to top it off, is entirely hypoallergenic.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
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The instinctive Moon opposes jovial Jupiter, tangling your 10th House of Ambition with your 4th House of Comfort.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The vehicle caught on fire, entrapping the boy, who was pronounced dead at the scene.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Getting young people to trust and depend on the traffickers is part of entrapping them.—
Anne P. DePrince,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ensnaring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnaring. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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