as in dilemmas
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
although the military invasion had been a breeze, the nation soon found itself caught in a rattrap with no clear escape route
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rattraps
Noun
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Lead executives Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer will be dealing with far more pressing dilemmas on draft night and in the days that follow, but they’re also tasked with using the low-value pick to locate someone who can help Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets win immediately.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026 -
The regulation of our environment; the presence of chemicals both intentionally and unwittingly in our food, water, air, and land; the ecological fate of all living creatures, and of the earth itself—all these dilemmas and conundrums find urgent expression in Carson’s work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Other condiments that can be stored in the door compartments include pickles, olives, maple syrup, chocolate syrup, jam, peanut butter, and sauces like hot sauce.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
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Note that pickles made with a salt brine, like Martha's Sour Pickles, are fermented foods, while those made quickly with vinegar are not.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
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The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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After making par on each of the first nine holes, Lopez made her move on the back with four birdies.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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Of the more than 40 million annual visitors to the state, about a quarter seek outdoor recreation, including fishing at the state’s extensive network of fishing holes—rivers like the Missouri and Mississippi, as well as more than 2,700 lakes—meaning a stop at Bass Pro is almost always in order.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Sumatran orangutans live in the rainforests and swamps on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
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They are typically found in shallow ponds, swamps, canals, reservoirs, lakes and rivers.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Noun
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There’s a lot of deus ex machina resolution of tight binds, things that happen off-screen and are waved away.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Rattraps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rattraps. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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