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
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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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of traps
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Small and ominous-looking, the plants are commonly sold as novelties, and many a curious child (or adult) has triggered its sinister traps with a pencil to see its amazingly rapid response.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
When a storm traps everyone inside, Hannah must find the culprit before the road clears and the killer escapes.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for traps
Noun
Wasp traps are simple and effective.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Small and ominous-looking, the plants are commonly sold as novelties, and many a curious child (or adult) has triggered its sinister traps with a pencil to see its amazingly rapid response.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Based on the real-life heroine’s memoir from a few years earlier, the movie centered on an Iranian man who tricks his American wife into going to the country and traps her there, using their child as a hostage.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
When a storm traps everyone inside, Hannah must find the culprit before the road clears and the killer escapes.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for traps
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traps
Noun
-
Service members could face ambushes en route, and specialized units would need to extract the uranium.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Once an octopus ambushes and bites its prey, the venom in its saliva paralyzes the prey, allowing the octopus to consume it.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Eisenberg plays a lot of acoustic guitar, sticks mostly to normie chords, and largely avoids dissonant tangles, opting for a bright, translucent sound.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
6 Apr. 2026
-
To him, the vision seemed right — not in the specific locations activated by various themes but in the sense that our neuroanatomy did seem to parse the world by subject, tangles and folds of neurons lighting up in response to clouds of ideas.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
They’re known for opening their mouths to show a white interior as a warning sign.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
-
In the 2008–09 financial crisis, the government provided enormous support to large financial institutions but virtually none to small businesses, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of many such businesses and their employees, and millions of everyday, hard-working Americans.—
Robert Hormats,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Maybe Deandre Ayton snares his first signature Lakers moment.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This hearty dish grabs extra flavor from browning the pork chops very well in the skillet in order to produce a flavorful pan sauce with mustard and cream.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Think about how many times a day everyone in your household touches a light switch or grabs the remote.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But Israel and Hezbollah showed no signs of decreasing their attacks Friday.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
In an attempt to prevent further attacks on Beirut, the Lebanese government reiterated its call to enter direct negotiations with Israel, an offer Netanyahu has since accepted.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the early 2000s, fishermen from other parts of Indonesia and Southeast Asia used explosives and large nets, damaging corals, decimating shark populations and forcing local residents who relied on fishing to travel as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) offshore for a catch.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The supplies include rope/cord, saw/cutting tools, police scanner, hair nets, medical gloves and more.—
April 8,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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 11 Apr. 2026.
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