trap 1 of 2

1
as in ambush
a device or scheme for capturing another by surprise undercover agents devised a trap to catch the counterfeiters a bear trap

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2
as in ambushment
a setup in which hidden attackers lie in wait an overland route to the Far East that was once notorious for the many robbers who laid traps for unsuspecting wayfarers

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3
as in tangle
something that catches and holds the promotion is really just a trap to keep her from taking a new job elsewhere

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4
as in mouth
slang the opening through which food passes into the body of an animal shut your trap before someone belts you one!

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trap

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb trap contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of trap are bag, capture, catch, ensnare, entrap, and snare. 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 could bag be used to replace trap?

The words bag and trap can be used in similar contexts, but bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

When is it sensible to use capture instead of trap?

While in some cases nearly identical to trap, capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

When might catch be a better fit than trap?

In some situations, the words catch and trap are roughly equivalent. However, catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

How do entrap and ensnare relate to one another, in the sense of trap?

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 trap
Noun
The three-minute reel gave fans a peek behind the velvet curtain — from Swift diving into the stage trap door to hiding in the now-iconic cleaning cart before each show. Bryan West, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025 Even though both have relatively manageable draws in the conference the rest of the way, there are more than enough traps to be confident nobody is arriving at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium unscathed. Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point and call 911 if possible. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025 What to do if trapped in a car Parked and moving cars can be dangerous when trapped inside. Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trap
Noun
  • Arnold and Evetts are among ten individuals who allegedly took part in an ambush of federal agents at the ICE detention facility, during which authorities say the suspects used fireworks to distract officers while vandalizing vehicles outside the facility.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Continue reading … 'MIRACLE' ESCAPE – Manhunt underway after video shows gunman ambush prominent businessman.
    , FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The winds send stage trusses collapsing in a tangle of steel and spotlights as firefighters race to rescue fans and production crew members trapped.
    Bryan West, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Oct. 2025
  • This bureaucratic tangle is so extreme that many European manufacturers are simply giving up.
    Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Good flavor knows no boundaries, and Charlotte’s restaurants featuring authentic Hispanic and Latin American cuisine will make your mouth water.
    Loán Lake, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Also, keep it out of eyes, noses, and mouths.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Courts have sometimes concluded the government's conduct was outrageous when police have used brutality against a defendant or government agents entrapped a defendant.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The Eagles, at times, struggled to entrap the eighth-year veteran quarterback.
    Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In grabbing McNeeley in the same class as Knueppel, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte wanted to infuse its roster with youthful players boasting an old school mentality.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
  • If her vibe is all about being cute yet comfy, grab the matching shorts for extra brownie points.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Unfortunately, during his journey, Vasi encountered a wire snare trap, which ended up clamped around his back leg in September 2019.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Christie Jourdain is band leader and snare drummer for The Original Pinettes, the city’s first all-female brass band that formed in 1991.
    Jenny Adams, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Islamists were seen as complicit in India’s worst plane hijack in 1999 and the 2008 attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, which killed several Indian citizens, including two senior diplomats.
    Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Shannon will man larger perimeter players, but not necessarily the point of attack as often.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation is also part of this Haunted Corn Maze, which turns the strawberry fields into a terrifying labyrinth.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Gurba constructs a labyrinth of language where California poppies, childhood witchcraft and feminist rage bloom side by side.
    Ana Cristina Frías Cabrera, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trap. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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