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
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
Preventing disputes from erupting in the first place can help people avert the costly and embarrassing kind of litigation now ensnaring Jimmy Buffett’s estate.
—Naomi Cahn, The Conversation, 2 July 2025
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
Preventing disputes from erupting in the first place can help people avert the costly and embarrassing kind of litigation now ensnaring Jimmy Buffett’s estate.
—Naomi Cahn, The Conversation, 2 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnaring
Verb
-
On Thursday afternoon, the elderly driver first hit a bicyclist, then continued for about a block before crashing her 2023 Mercedes Benz C class into the bakery section of the grocery store, trapping multiple people beneath her car, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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The woman driving a Toyota Prius hit the bicyclist shortly after noon and then continued for another block before swerving into the bakery section of a 99 Ranch Market and then coming to a stop, trapping several people underneath the vehicle, police and fire officials said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lightweight fabrics tumble more evenly, reducing the chance of tangling.—
Anyssa Roberts,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
-
This will help prevent tangling and stretching during the wash cycle.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The vehicle caught on fire, entrapping the 15-year-old boy, authorities said.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
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 10 Feb. 2026.
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