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
Then Payton gave the Warriors a fourth quarter spark with five minutes left by making back-to-back layups as the roll man when Curry passed out of a trap before making a 3-pointer to help Golden State pull away. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2025 Then Groff comes up an elevator trap door, like a 2000s pop star entering a stadium tour. Christian Lewis, Variety, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
Turns out, once upon a time, the girls burned down a wing of their mansion with their abusive father trapped inside and disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Sezin Devi Koehler, EW.com, 1 May 2025 This difficulty in regulating closeness intensifies the cycle of withdrawal, leaving both partners trapped in a painful pattern of reaching out and pulling away, never finding solid ground. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trap
Noun
  • The majority are exported to the U.S. and the E.U. But in the wild, this shy companion turns into a patient ambush hunter.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Since coming together under the coalitions, gangs have proven themselves to be more mobile and more coordinated, carrying out military-style ambushes far away from their strongholds .
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • All of our experts agree that silk and satin bonnets protect hair from the harsh friction caused by cotton pillowcases, which can lead to dryness, tangles, frizz, and breakage over time.
    Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 5 Apr. 2025
  • But after the onset of dementia with high tau tangles, anti-tau therapy or one of the many other experimental approaches may be more effective.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Word of mouth could see that number climb higher, as well as indicate that the film will have strong legs in the days ahead..
    Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025
  • Plus, allergies often lead to mouth breathing, which can dry out the mouth, exacerbating the scent wafting out.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • In the book, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) chops off romance novelist Paul Sheldon's feet as part of her efforts to entrap him permanently in her home.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Nearly 4 years in jail on choking charges Since he’s been in jail, Bishop has sent letters to courthouse officials — including Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Carla Archie and Clerk of Court Elisa Chinn-Gary — saying Blackwell, police and judges entrapped him by filing false charges.
    Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The game ended appropriately with Minnesota’s Naz Reid grabbing an offensive rebound off a Timberwolves missed free throw attempt and hugging the ball like Minnesota hugged this victory.
    Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
  • Keep scrolling for more comfortable and packable flats to grab this season from Amazon, Nordstrom, Zappos, and more—starting at $25.
    Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • From sticky asphalt graves to dinosaur-eating quicksand, these sites reveal how nature sometimes sets its own snares, and how life—on a mass scale—meets its end.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Indeed, Ben is very much alive, hobbling around the woods on his crutches and setting snares to catch food.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Whitmer wages charm offensive against Trump as other Dems attack As much as Trump enjoys skewering his rivals, the president has lauded Whitmer on multiple occasions since returning to power.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • Yet Slot never lost sight of this threat and ensured that rapid-fire counters remained at the heart of Liverpool’s attack.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Over the last six decades, the Defense Department has created a labyrinth of rules, regulations, and confusing acquisition policies that encourage risk aversion and inertia.
    MICHAEL BROWN, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Procurement operates in one system, accounts payable in another and vendor data lives across a labyrinth of spreadsheets and email threads.
    Laurent Charpentier, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trap. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

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