trapping

verb

Definition of trappingnext
present participle of trap
1
as in tangling
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grabbing
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 trapping Prohibitive housing costs aren’t just trapping younger adults in parental homes. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 11 July 2026 Summer campers rescued Friday’s drenching rains washed away roads around Camp Taum Sauk, trapping children and staffers at the site in the small southeastern community of Lesterville, according to Sgt. — Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 The East Coast was in the hot seat last week and the West is next up for a heat dome — a large area of high pressure that stalls over an area, trapping heat and driving up temperatures. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 8 July 2026 The pair of earthquakes struck on June 24, knocking down buildings, sending residents fleeing for safety and trapping some survivors under the rubble for days. — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 8 July 2026 Waymo’s fleet of autonomous taxis has garnered a reputation for causing mayhem on public streets, from trapping drivers in hours of hopeless gridlock to driving into oncoming traffic. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 8 July 2026 Traditional monitoring methods, such as field observation or trapping, can be difficult, intrusive and time-consuming. — Jenny Whilde, The Conversation, 7 July 2026 Officials told Patch that trapping operations are being used to help the remaining loose cats. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026 While the 23-year-old was working in the trench, the trench collapsed, trapping him for a short while. — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trapping
  1. tangling
  2. grabbing
  3. entrapping
  4. catching
  5. snaring
  6. snatching
  7. ensnaring
  8. capturing
Verb
  • This will help prevent tangling and stretching during the wash cycle.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 5 July 2026
  • Its rear zipper pocket is a great way to keep charging cords from tangling around other items.
    — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Definition of tangling
Verb
  • College students would drive—or bike—across the city to shop there before grabbing a snack—perhaps a nutritious multigrain muffin?
    — Roseann Cattani, USA Today, 10 July 2026
  • McKay is accused of grabbing the boy by his ankles, pinning him on the ground and then holding him down by the ankles on the seat portion of a chair.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026
Definition of grabbing
Verb
  • Another one of the Tates’ lawyers filed a claim on Fisher’s behalf, accusing Hadley of entrapping him.
    — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
  • This might not be a circumstance where the AI would shine in aiding the mental health of the user (or, on the other side of the coin, deluding them and entrapping them).
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Definition of entrapping
Verb
  • Long before ambient documentation arrived, patients were already reconciling medication lists, catching referral failures, correcting demographic mistakes, and trying to make sense of conflicting recommendations from different specialists.
    — Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Whether you’re just headed to the gym or catching a flight, here are 12 Brooks running shoes on sale, starting at $75.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026
Definition of catching
Verb
  • First baseman Michael Busch finished the play by reaching out and snaring Hoerner’s dazzling throw to complete the highlight and nab the speedy Salazar for the out.
    — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
  • Pickens was even more dominant, snaring nine balls for 144 yards and a score.
    — Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2025
Definition of snaring
Verb
  • In the end, Seattle outmaneuvered and outbodied the Sparks, snatching steals and flipping the ball around the perimeter until the Storm fired off a shot.
    — Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Heim, the 2024 truck series champion who will move full time into Cup next season with 23XI Racing, led the final three laps after snatching first from teammate Tyler Reddick.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 June 2026
Definition of snatching
Verb
  • And in that quest for unbridled growth, the AI industry has wrested ungodly amounts of capital from investors all looking for the next big thing, ensnaring the entire economy.
    — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The upcoming April 7 vote over the renewal of Kansas City’s 1% earnings tax will mark one of the biggest tests of whether that opposition could risk ensnaring a critical resource for the city.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of ensnaring
Verb
  • Leveraging iRacing's renowned expertise, the title promises an authentic, immersive, and hyper-realistic open-wheel racing experience, capturing the NTT IndyCar Series' speed, precision, and drama.
    — Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The material has the potential to combat climate change by capturing and storing carbon or other pollutants, and by extracting water from the atmosphere in water-scarce areas.
    — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of capturing

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Cite this Entry

“Trapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trapping. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on trapping

Nglish: Translation of trapping for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trapping

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