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
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Recent Examples of traps
Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
The sea drones equipped with sonar produce a picture of objects under the water, from fishing traps to pipelines.
—Emma Burrows, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
As acidity rises during fermentation, these proteins stop floating freely and begin linking together into a microscopic network that traps water, fat and nutrients.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for traps
Noun
Biodiversity monitoring for decades has relied on camera traps, which operate when animals trigger their sensors, and ranger observations.
—Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
The sea drones equipped with sonar produce a picture of objects under the water, from fishing traps to pipelines.
—Emma Burrows, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Verb
Modern advice culture, encompassing self-help and productivity, traps ambitious individuals in an endless cycle of seeking external validation, leading to overconsumption and diminished self-conviction.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
As acidity rises during fermentation, these proteins stop floating freely and begin linking together into a microscopic network that traps water, fat and nutrients.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 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
-
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
-
For dogs and cats, the Hertzko Double-Sided Dog and Cat Dematting Comb has teeth designed for intense tangles and matting.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Conversations that are not confrontational but still have players shielding their mouths from public view will continue to be permitted without penalty.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
-
Very soon, from the sofa behind Adele, loud enough to be heard over Disney, there came a smacking of mouths and saliva.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 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
-
Kennedy then pins the snake’s head and grabs it by the mouth, avoiding any potential venomous bites.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
-
Davis grabs two suitcases off the belt, pulls out a handheld computer that looks like an extra-rugged iPad, and scans the bar codes on the luggage tags.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Each one would need to stock more interceptors and operate with escort ships to fend off attacks.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
Simple steps like version pinning or requiring a cool-down period before new library releases are available to developers can go a very long way toward blunting the supply chain attacks that are about to become far more common.—
Philip Martin,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Writers have cast their nets into that fertile current and brought up a rich haul of fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
Strung-up nets drip with ersatz fish and nautical paraphernalia, and the sunny interior with colorful highlights echoes coastal Mediterranean architecture.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
2 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 4 Jun. 2026.
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