1
as in ambushes
a device or scheme for capturing another by surprise
undercover agents devised a trap to catch the counterfeiters a bear trap
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ambushments
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in tangles
something that catches and holds
the promotion is really just a trap to keep her from taking a new job elsewhere
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in snares
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 grabs
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
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Recent Examples of traps
Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
The district monitors traps throughout the seven-county metro area, and last week's collections have shown significantly fewer mosquitoes than usual.
—Joe Van Ryn, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Since the thick rind traps its aroma, look for heavy melons rather than fragrant ones.
—Joanna Sciarrino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for traps
Noun
Then, in September 1867, while setting traps in the wilds of the Sinnemahoning Valley, a hunter heard the unmistakable bugle of a bull elk.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
The district monitors traps throughout the seven-county metro area, and last week's collections have shown significantly fewer mosquitoes than usual.
—Joe Van Ryn, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Verb
The spathe is a curvaceous, hood-like, modified leaf or bract that attracts insects with its color and then traps them against the spadix, ensuring pollination.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Since the thick rind traps its aroma, look for heavy melons rather than fragrant ones.
—Joanna Sciarrino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for traps
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traps
Noun
-
Cuba also maintains elite forces trained for counter-special-operations missions, guerrilla warfare, ambushes, sabotage and close protection of senior leaders.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
-
Even in areas not under its direct control, the widespread sympathy in rural areas allows JNIM to set up ambushes along the main roads and dominate the main supply routes into the capitals, especially in Mali.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
And, in any case, many legal experts say the boat attacks amount to extrajudicial killings in violation of international law.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
Sam Abu Haikal is the 13th child to be killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank so far this year, according to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, which has documented the killing of 236 children in the region by Israeli forces since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Those tests include amyloid and tau PET scans to help detect amyloid plaque and tau tangles in the brain, while allowing for earlier detection and monitoring disease progression, according to the American Brain Foundation.—
Wendy Coschignano-Ford,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 June 2026
-
Before 2014, bull kelp—a whip-like kelp with bulbous air bladders and trailing blades —stretched across Northern California’s coastline in dense tangles.—
Tatjana Baleta,
Time,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
However, the latest technology, robot vacuums, are making the cleaning process effortless, as well as innovative handheld versions with narrow mouths to get in tight corners.—
Blake Bakkila,
Architectural Digest,
12 June 2026
-
The 2,315-acre reserve – about a 155-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh – is a remote complex of islands between the mouths of the Newport and North Rivers.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The hallmarks of the Navy Blue sound are present—barely-there snares keeping time in the distance, string samples melting into reflective puddles, overtones from resonant piano lines.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
-
Hair snares use tape and wire to collect DNA and other data by collecting a sample of wild animal hair when creatures pass by, according to Popular Science.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The design is what grabs your attention at first sight.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 12,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
-
Radke grabs a book and hands it to me.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Using humane methods like squirrel baffles and tree nets can effectively keep squirrels out of your fruit trees.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
18 June 2026
-
Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security awarded a contract to a company that makes a drone with massive nets to ensnare other drones.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
This superb thriller about an obsessed fan (Kathy Bates) who rescues, and then entraps, a best-selling author (James Caan) still stands as an edge-of-your-seat experience.—
Julie Hinds,
Freep.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Traps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traps. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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