SNARE Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'snare' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of snare are bag , capture , catch , ensnare , entrap , and trap . While all these words mean "to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing," trap , snare , entrap , ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor. trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing. // trap animals // snared butterflies with a net

Q: When is 'bag' a more appropriate choice than 'snare'?

In some situations, the words bag and snare are roughly equivalent. However, bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey. // bagged a brace of pheasants

Q: When is it sensible to use 'capture' instead of 'snare'?

Although the words capture and snare have much in common, capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty. // capture an enemy stronghold

Q: When would 'catch' be a good substitute for 'snare'?

The synonyms catch and snare are sometimes interchangeable, but catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding. // caught the dog as it ran by

Q: How are the words 'entrap' and 'ensnare' related as synonyms of 'snare'?

Both entrap and ensnare more often are figurative. // entrapped the witness with a trick question // a sting operation that ensnared burglars

snare 1 of 2

noun

ˈsner

Definition of snare

as in trap

a device or scheme for capturing another by surprise you fell for my clever snare, you fool!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in tangle

something that catches and holds someday you'll find that your lies are a snare from which you can't escape

Synonyms & Similar Words

snare

2 of 2

verb

as in to trap

to catch or hold as if in a net easily distracted by any bright object that snared his eye

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to grab

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly campers trying to snare brook trout for supper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb snare contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of snare are bag, capture, catch, ensnare, entrap, and trap. While all these words mean "to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing," trap, snare, entrap, ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor. trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals

snared butterflies with a net

When is bag a more appropriate choice than snare?

In some situations, the words bag and snare are roughly equivalent. However, bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

When is it sensible to use capture instead of snare?

Although the words capture and snare have much in common, capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

When would catch be a good substitute for snare?

The synonyms catch and snare are sometimes interchangeable, but catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

How are the words entrap and ensnare related as synonyms of snare?

Both entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question

a sting operation that ensnared burglars

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of snare

Noun

Recounting her boyfriend calling the police on her during their fraught break-up, the chorus rings out over rowdy snares like a brutal playground taunt. — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026 Poaching once devastated the park, but in the past decade, 40,000 wire snares have been removed, and black rhinos, cheetahs, lions and wild dogs have been reintroduced. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 19 July 2026

Verb

Edmundo Sosa made a great play to snare it and throw in time to first. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 Court records detail the expansive cocaine trafficking ring that snared two Penn State University fraternities and led to charges against 14 people. — Michael Guise, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for snare

Recent Examples of Synonyms for snare

Noun

Outside his tech support job, Singh had been working for years as a producer in Canada’s thriving Punjabi music scene, blending traditional folk sounds with hip-hop beats and trap melodies.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Locking the lid traps excess steam inside, altering how the appliance functions.

— Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of trap

Noun

Sticky beta-amyloid can build into brain-clogging plaque over decades, eventually spurring neuron-killing tau tangles that lead to symptoms.

— Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Sazan is a rugged place—strewn with rocks and tangles of trees, populated by a large colony of rats, and studded with bunkers built by the Marxist dictator Enver Hoxha to defend against an imaginary invasion.

— Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of tangle

Verb

An urge strong enough to pull me away from the kitchen, grab my computer, and steal a table outside to scribble out my thoughts.

— Samantha Rees, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026
The video then shows the deputy grabbing the wallet and opening it, showing Bolduc and the bodycam the contents.

— Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of grab

Noun

Kayce’s son, Tate (Brecken Merrill), was in danger after it was revealed that Tom Wheeler (Chris Mulkey), whom Kayce believed to be his friend, had orchestrated an ambush on his teammates Cal (Logan Marshall-Green) and Belle (Arielle Kebbel).

— Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
The goliath birdeater is an ambush predator and mostly feeds on earthworms, insects, frogs, and toads.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of ambush

Noun

Like ballplayers just before the pitch, animal control crouched into position, with thick metal grabbers, nooses, and nets at the ready.

— Zachary Przystup, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026
In other words, personal bankruptcy can take the financial noose off debtors’ necks.

— Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of noose

Verb

The animal was far from sprinting, instead taking a relaxed stroll at a speed surprisingly comparable to a human walking briskly to catch a bus.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
Douglas, who had five catches for 94 yards in the opener, was targeted just three times, catching two for 19 yards and dropping the third.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of catch

Noun

Productivity and Content Creation Tests Our primary overall benchmark, UL's PCMark 10, puts a system through its paces in productivity apps ranging from web browsing to word processing and spreadsheet work.

— Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 19 Sep. 2026
Chatfield hired Jennifer Szabo as his web developer early on to make the Farmworker Movement Documentation Project.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of web

Browse Nearby Words

snap (up)

snare

snared

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Snare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snare. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of snare

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nemesis

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes