TRAPS Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

traps 1 of 2

noun

Definition of traps

plural of trap

as in ambushes

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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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

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as in tangles

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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as in mouths

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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traps

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of trap

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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 traps

Noun

In 1998, voters passed Proposition 4, which banned certain traps and animal poisons for recreational and commercial animal trapping. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 As the school year started and drivers tiptoed into new routines or back into old ones a couple of theoretical bear traps snapped down this past Tuesday in Cobb County. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026 One stores and processes incoming charge, while another traps electrons to control how quickly the device returns to its original state. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Aug. 2026 And yet, more often than not, modern-day biopic films are disappointments, inert movies that fall into the same narrative traps, leaving audiences cold. — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2026 Position these traps near your plants to catch adult gnats and reduce egg laying. — Leah Chester-Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026 But this time, the Players entered the palace fully aware of the format’s twists and traps, armed with strategies, stronger instincts, and a ruthlessness that caught me off guard. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 The researchers analyzed data from 503 camera traps and 59 GPS collars tracking pumas’ presence in Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula between 2020 and 2025. — Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026 The goal is to make the smart traps available to anyone who would like to use them, including natural resource managers, researchers and the public. — Laurie Mermet, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Verb

The cave was used to film scenes with Polyphemus, the Cyclops who traps Odysseus and his crew in his cave before devouring several of the men. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Lightly mist the floor rather than pouring or soaking, and follow with a microfiber mop that traps dirt without leaving excess moisture behind. — Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026 As each bubble traps more gas, its buoyancy increases until the bubble floats to the surface. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026 Dropping the voltage just below copper’s reaction threshold transforms the electrode into a metal magnet that selectively traps copper on its surface while letting background salts flow through. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026 New data reveals work stress traps individuals in a negative feedback loop, severely impacting sleep and overall performance. — Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Finally, traps need to be maintained, such as replacing the lures, and disposing of the dead insects and/or traps periodically. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 29 July 2026 Both approaches use a structure that traps electrons in a region smaller than the electron’s wavelength. — ArsTechnica, 29 July 2026 Homer’s hero has extramarital affairs with goddesses Circe and Calypso — the latter of whom traps him and forces him to sleep with her each night for seven years. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 27 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for traps

Noun

Stassi is no stranger to an ambush; one of her most iconic Vanderpump Rules scenes remains one of the best ambushes reality TV’s ever seen.

— Caroline Framke, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
Such fleets could patrol submarine cable routes, conduct searches, stage ambushes, and coordinate with underwater sensors, surface vessels, and aerial drones to support future maritime military operations.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of ambushes

Noun

Despite distancing herself from her Democratic predecessor, Klobuchar faced attacks from Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who ran in the Republican primary, arguing that her leadership would be tantamount to giving Walz another term.

— Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2026
The attacks come as tensions are rising between the government of western Libya and warlord Mohamed Bahroun, who controls the city of Zawiya.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of attacks

Noun

In the nearly 3,000 patients who donated their brains to science, the brains of those who took estrogen were less likely to show neurobiological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, such as beta-amyloid plaques or tangles of tau protein.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
An overabundance of the SORLA protein protected against a number of biological processes linked to the formation of tau tangles and progression of neurodegeneration.

— Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2026

Definition of tangles

Noun

Individuals can be contagious with Salmonella, because the disease can be spread when an infected individual touches surfaces and then others touch them and then put their hands in their mouths.

— Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
The turbulence pushes unwanted particles away from the coral’s surface while redirecting nutrients toward polyps’ mouths.

— Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of mouths

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

Definition of snares

Verb

But his wildly unfiltered speech grabs the attention of beautiful and brash public defender Ginger (Gilpin), herself a crusader for truth.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026
Profanity also grabs attention since the shock value of an F-bomb can lead to more media coverage and clips circulating on social media.

— Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026