as in bound
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in tangled
to catch or hold as if in a net
an ambitious young man who was now trapped in a series of shady business deals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grabbed
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
finally trapped the annoying fly in the palm of his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 trapped
Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2026
Firefighters rescued two adults, a child and a cat from a burning third-floor apartment in Michigan as crews raced to save trapped residents during a fast-moving blaze and subzero temperatures Tuesday night.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
However, if leaving the door open impedes foot traffic or may allow a child or animal to become trapped inside the drum, even a few inches are helpful.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
So when warm air swept over the region, the cold air already permeating the area drained into part of the Treasure Valley and became trapped.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
One overnight traffic jam links strangers’ romances, crimes and breakdowns, each episode following a different trapped driver.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
These tentacle traps can function in both dry and wet environments, with Roridula even collaborating with insects to digest trapped prey indirectly.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Window or Door Tracks The enzymes and surfactants in dishwasher tablets help loosen trapped dirt, dust, and grime from window or door tracks, says Sokolowski.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
There is trapped grease, food particles, bacteria, or melting plastic coating the interior surface and dishwasher filter.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 Jan. 2026
Naaman Zhou, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
Some of these birds are trapped and treated multiple times, sometimes in the same year.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 2 Feb. 2026
The ice gave way beneath them, and the animals were trapped in the shallow water.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
Appenzell, Switzerland Tucked within the dramatic Alpstein limestone range in northeast Switzerland, just an hour’s drive east of Zurich, Appenzell can feel trapped in time.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 1 Feb. 2026
If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point and call 911 if possible.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Feb. 2026
My neighbors, whose home is flanked by pines, were now trapped by them.
—Erin Austen Abbott, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
If your first pass actually closes the piles, then dirt and dust get trapped.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026
Catherine was the queen of self-abusing, hard-living, and heading-over-the-hill entertainment veterans — women who were trapped behind a façade of slick showbiz tics that barely covered the active volcano of psychosis bubbling right under their surface.
—Merrill Markoe, Rolling Stone, 1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Clunky, constrictive shoes take up excess leg room and can make your feet feel trapped.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2026
Firefighters rescued two adults, a child and a cat from a burning third-floor apartment in Michigan as crews raced to save trapped residents during a fast-moving blaze and subzero temperatures Tuesday night.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
However, if leaving the door open impedes foot traffic or may allow a child or animal to become trapped inside the drum, even a few inches are helpful.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
So when warm air swept over the region, the cold air already permeating the area drained into part of the Treasure Valley and became trapped.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
One overnight traffic jam links strangers’ romances, crimes and breakdowns, each episode following a different trapped driver.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
These tentacle traps can function in both dry and wet environments, with Roridula even collaborating with insects to digest trapped prey indirectly.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Window or Door Tracks The enzymes and surfactants in dishwasher tablets help loosen trapped dirt, dust, and grime from window or door tracks, says Sokolowski.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
There is trapped grease, food particles, bacteria, or melting plastic coating the interior surface and dishwasher filter.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
During the storm, Mamdani was shovelling out a car trapped near public housing in Bed-Stuy.
—Naaman Zhou, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
Some of these birds are trapped and treated multiple times, sometimes in the same year.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 2 Feb. 2026
The ice gave way beneath them, and the animals were trapped in the shallow water.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
Appenzell, Switzerland Tucked within the dramatic Alpstein limestone range in northeast Switzerland, just an hour’s drive east of Zurich, Appenzell can feel trapped in time.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 1 Feb. 2026
If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point and call 911 if possible.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Feb. 2026
My neighbors, whose home is flanked by pines, were now trapped by them.
—Erin Austen Abbott, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
If your first pass actually closes the piles, then dirt and dust get trapped.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026
Catherine was the queen of self-abusing, hard-living, and heading-over-the-hill entertainment veterans — women who were trapped behind a façade of slick showbiz tics that barely covered the active volcano of psychosis bubbling right under their surface.
—Merrill Markoe, Rolling Stone, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trapped
Adjective
-
One is 36 and on the backside of his career but proud of the fact that he’s never missed the playoffs – which the 6-20 Clippers seemed bound to do.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
18 Dec. 2025
-
These objects have hyperbolic orbits, as opposed to the bound circular or elliptical orbits of everything native to the solar system.—
Darryl Seligman,
Space.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Read on for tips to keep from getting tangled in the knots.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
31 Jan. 2026
-
If your personal life and your business expenses are tangled together, untangle them now.—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Doncic turned to run back up the court and grabbed the back of his left leg.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Jarrett Allen scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Dennis Schroder added 11 points in his Cavaliers debut and Keon Ellis had 6 points in his first game with the Cavaliers, who won for the seventh time in eight games.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Crop Over’s summer fete is tied to when enslaved people celebrated the end of sugarcane season or the crop was over.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Presidents George Washington and John Adams lived at the site, along with enslaved people.—
Liz Crawford,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Stevenson insists that the goal of the Legacy Museum is not to present Alabama as irredeemably racist or forever entrapped by its past.—
Clint Smith,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
-
The Civic driver was extricated as Ramsubhag was received lifesaving measures while still entrapped the vehicle.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In his first playoff game, a thriller against the Los Angeles Rams, McMillan caught five passes for 81 yards, using his connection with quarterback Bryce Young to get the ball downfield.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
One month after the US carried out an attack in Venezuela to capture its president, civilians in the South American country remain caught between uncertainty and expectations of governmental change.—
CNN 9 hr ago,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The new tubes solve that problem with an internal divider at the middle of the tube that helps trap the air in a confined chamber.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
3 Feb. 2026
-
New York State now has six months to develop a plan to comply with a recent class action settlement addressing the lack of adequate mental health services for confined youth.—
Gladys Carrión,
New York Daily News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Across 240 pages, Landfair describes how she became ensnared in Kelly’s web and how the singer kept her trapped there for more than a decade through a persistent and dizzying combination of love-bombing, control, secrecy, and abuse.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Ortiz, who did not respond to a request for comment, had been ensnared in some controversy during his time in City Hall specifically related to Carollo and code enforcement.—
Tess Riski
January 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trapped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trapped. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
