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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Relevance

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

Standard eradication methods — such as passive traps, genetic modification, species sterilization, and chemical insecticides — all carry limitations, environmental risks, or health hazards for humans and pets. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 July 2026 In the books, aliens turn Earth into a worldwide game show, with levels filled with dangerous monsters and traps. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 27 July 2026 Insecticides, for example, can be harmful to humans, pets, and the environment in general, while traps are usually passive. — New Atlas, 26 July 2026 And there are all kinds of ecological traps across cities that manifest in different ways. — Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026 Livestock and pet owners should use pest control strategies, such as maintaining clean spaces for their animals and using insecticides, barn treatments and fly traps, to try to keep flies away from their animals. — Sarah Tomlinson, The Conversation, 24 July 2026 This is likely because plastic traps moisture, which can lead to unwanted mildew and mold. — Bianca Lambert, Southern Living, 23 July 2026 Unlike clamming, a crab harvest depends entirely on the traps, which take about three to four hours to check. — Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026 Lake County’s mosquito surveillance program, a collaboration between the Health Department, the Lake County Forest Preserves and area municipalities, has mosquito traps set around the county that are monitored weekly. — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026

Verb

This heat dome traps the smoke from faraway wildfires close to the ground, resulting in hot, humid, hazy, and ultimately unpleasant conditions. — Leon Imber, New York Times, 17 July 2026 The heat dome — an atmospheric phenomenon that essentially traps hot air over a particular location — built in the West after the first heat wave of the summer began to bake the area last week. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 12 July 2026 The hollow center traps heat-carrying vibrations, while still allowing electricity to flow. — Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 The recent heat dome, a high-pressure weather system that traps heat and humidity over a region, affected some specialty farmers who produce crops of fruits and vegetables. — ABC News, 8 July 2026 Odor Remediation Odor often results from product buildup that traps bacteria, leaving clean clothes smelling less than fresh. — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 July 2026 The high temperatures on the east coast this weekend are due to a high-pressure system known as a heat dome, a severe weather phenomenon that occurs when a high-pressure system traps a massive mass of hot air over a region, according to Gray News. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 Temperatures are expected to top 100 degrees over the coming days, as high pressure traps the scorching temperatures in a heat dome, spanning from the Gulf Coast, up through the Midwest and Northeast United States. — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2026 Heat domes refer to a high-pressure area in the atmosphere that extends a few miles upwards and traps hot ocean air. — Chad De Guzman, Time, 29 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for traps

Noun

Humans prepare for warfare with more surveillance, taking to higher ground to gather information, conducting ambushes and raids, and quietly spying on enemy territory to avoid detection.

— Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 July 2026
By his spiritual discernment, the prophet Elisha was repeatedly able to warn the king of Israel about ambushes planned by the king of Syria.

— Liesl Ehmke, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026

Definition of ambushes

Noun

Harbaugh had tense standoffs with legacy defenders Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs and, during the 2012 season, held a sitdown with his players to address their vicious and personal attacks on his approach.

— Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved part of its enriched uranium stockpile to Pickaxe Mountain after last June’s attacks, an Israeli source familiar with the matter told CNN.

— Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026

Definition of attacks

Noun

During this time, the brain starts to shrink, and the misfolded proteins that are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s begin to build up — sticky amyloid beta plaques in the brain and tau tangles in neurons.

— Richard Sima, Washington Post, 21 July 2026
Conditioning first can also help minimize tangles and create a smoother surface before shampooing.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 17 July 2026

Definition of tangles

Noun

Under a microscope, their hairlike cilia sweep the area outside the cell like wispy brooms, pulling bacteria into their mouths and pushing them around.

— Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 27 July 2026
This is not against any rules, but leaves a sour taste in fans’ mouths.

— James Hansen, New York Times, 27 July 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