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snare

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verb

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
For instance, the researchers uncovered an incident from 2008, when scientists had observed a male chimp freeing an unrelated female from a nylon snare set by hunters to trap game. Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2025 Wild chimpanzees have been observed self-medicating their wounds with plants, providing medical aid to other chimps and even removing others from snares left by human hunters, new research suggests. Evan Bush, NBC news, 14 May 2025
Verb
One of the challenges TelevisaUnivision faced this period was the absence of last year’s Spanish-language Super Bowl broadcast, which helped snare new advertising and viewership. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025 One night, during a common raid by the beasts, Hiccup snares a Night Fury, a swift and cunning dragon that the Berkians know little about. Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for snare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snare
Noun
  • Wyoming’s wildlife agency, for example, traps and relocates conflict bears (or kills problem bears if allowed by the Fish and Wildlife Service), knocks on doors to calm nervous landowners, hands out bear spray, and reminds campers not to cook chili in their tents.
    Christine Peterson, Vox, 27 June 2025
  • The pricing trap: Most service businesses bill by the hour.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • In my experience, most sea salt sprays require some sort of trade-off: either tons of volume but tangles, or great wave definition but very little body.
    Ariel Wodarcyk, Glamour, 26 June 2025
  • One of the most aggressive garden invaders, bindweed rapidly rambles through perennials and shrubs, creating a leafy tangle of stems and foliage.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Now, folks heading to Shenandoah National Park or beyond can grab some gas, hit the jerky wall, nab a Dr Pepper Icee, load up on fudge, use the famously clean bathrooms, and stock up on Buc-ee’s merch before heading back out on the road.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
  • One four-person crew in a 24-foot open-bow MasterCraft grabbed their life jackets, wisely abandoned the boat and swam to shore.
    George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Waiting in ambush uses power, and the drone’s battery will have been running down.
    David Hambling, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
  • Authorities also confirmed the identity of the suspect in the firefighter ambush.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • New evidence revealed a noose was used to swing Zara around According to court documents, detectives found new evidence of abuse on a phone belonging to Lopez-Figueroa.
    Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
  • After the trial and sentencings, a noose of grief tightened around the DuFresne family.
    Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • The outsoles are made with reliable rubber treads to provide vital traction on slick city streets and beyond, and the sleek leather exteriors will remain in pristine shape even if you get caught in an unexpected rainstorm.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2025
  • The goal of catching medical issues early is part of the clinic’s founding ethos.
    Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number (SSN), phone number, and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
  • While a recent News Corp investor report said the Post’s web traffic had dipped, the national media’s focus on Mamdani and his plans to change New York could provide good fodder for the paper and segments on Fox News.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • As the old adage goes, the early bird gets the worm—the same can be applied to snatching up the best Prime Day beauty deals!
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 9 July 2025
  • The supe-fighting Boys went on the run, but nearly all of them got snatched by Homelander's personal supe army — with the exception of Starlight and Karl Urban's Butcher.
    EW.com, EW.com, 3 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Snare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snare. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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