ensnare

verb

in-ˈsner How to pronounce ensnare (audio)
Definition of ensnarenext
as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net parked just out of view, the state trooper was lying in wait to ensnare unwary speeders

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb ensnare contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ensnare are bag, capture, catch, entrap, snare, and trap. While all these words mean "to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing," trap, snare, entrap, ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor. trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals
snared butterflies with a net

When can bag be used instead of ensnare?

While in some cases nearly identical to ensnare, bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

When is it sensible to use capture instead of ensnare?

In some situations, the words capture and ensnare are roughly equivalent. However, capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

When could catch be used to replace ensnare?

Although the words catch and ensnare have much in common, catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

How are the words entrap and ensnare related?

Both entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question
a sting operation that ensnared burglars

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 ensnare The legislation changes how the law describes the federal government and the legislature’s view of Second Amendment rights, in an effort to sidestep the legal problems that ensnared the 2021 law. —Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2025 When a body is discovered off the side of the boardwalk, decades-old grudges and rumors ensnare the town. —Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025 First, Watson ensnared Tulane quarterback Ty Thompson on a third-down run, lifted him several feet off the turf and threw him down. —Joey Knight, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025 The shelter melee case is among a long list of legal troubles Pearson, a former NYPD inspector and longtime friend to Adams, was ensnared in while in the mayor’s administration. —Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ensnare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnare
  1. trap
  2. tangle
  3. entrap
Verb
  • Law enforcement in Willacy County were still working to save residents trapped in their homes Friday after about 12 to 15 inches of rain pummeled the area over a six-hour period, the county’s Emergency Management Coordinator Frank Torres said.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In Alamo, the police and fire department responded to more than 100 water rescues, including people stranded in their vehicles and trapped in their homes, Fire Department Chief R.C. Flores said at a news conference Friday afternoon.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of trap
Verb
  • Using the necklace Axel secretly gave Taylor as bait to lure him into getting tangled up with the drains in their hot tub and then using their little Finnish NotRoomba™ to seal the Tub Top is pretty diabolical.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Read Next Florida Diver died while tangled in propeller off Florida, feds say.
    — Mark Price, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of tangle
Verb
  • Gabi and Robinson head to the diner to entrap Maggie with yet another plate of cheese fries.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Edward tentatively goes into another room and returns naked save for the mask entrapping his face.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2025
Definition of entrap

Browse Nearby Words

enslaving
ensnare
ensnared
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ensnare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnare. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of ensnare for Spanish Speakers

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