trap 1 of 2

noun

ˈtrap How to pronounce trap (audio)
Definition of trapnext
1
as in ambush
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 ambushment
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 tangle
something that catches and holds the promotion is really just a trap to keep her from taking a new job elsewhere

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in mouth
slang the opening through which food passes into the body of an animal shut your trap before someone belts you one!

Synonyms & Similar Words

trap

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to tangle
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 to grab
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb trap contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of trap are bag, capture, catch, ensnare, entrap, and snare. 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 could bag be used to replace trap?

The words bag and trap can be used in similar contexts, but bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

When is it sensible to use capture instead of trap?

While in some cases nearly identical to trap, capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

When might catch be a better fit than trap?

In some situations, the words catch and trap are roughly equivalent. However, catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

How do entrap and ensnare relate to one another, in the sense of trap?

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 trap
Noun
The camera trap was set up by the Garo Green Spine Conservation Project team. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025 About 35 dead and dying cockroaches were on glue traps in the kitchen and in storage spaces. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
Allergens can get trapped in upholstery, which is much more challenging to clean.4 8. —Daniel More, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2025 That’s because all the air gets trapped in the elastic edges. —Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trap
  1. ambush
  2. tangle
  3. mouth
  4. entrap
  5. grab
  6. snare
  7. attack
  8. labyrinth
Noun
  • On hilltops along the Mediterranean coast, Syria’s new General Security forces faced ambushes and attacks.
    — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Survivors said the attacks in Pine village began in the early hours of Friday, March 7, a day after the initial ambush by Assadist loyalists was reported.
    — Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of ambush
Noun
  • Soon enough, this tangle of typical teenage troubles butts up against a sinister alternate universe, the Upside Down.
    — Sarah Bahr, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The rubber brushes prevent tangles making long term clean up even easier.
    — Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of tangle
Noun
  • Nothing worse than burning your mouth and chewing then breathing like a dragon.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
  • It does so by replacing the minerals in your teeth that would otherwise be lost to acid coming from bacteria in your mouth.
    — Joseph Choi, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of mouth
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
Verb
  • At one point, police said, the couple stopped and became involved in a verbal altercation, and the man allegedly grabbed her by the neck and strangled her.
    — Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025
  • The team still must determine who will grab the eighth spot in the bullpen.
    — Dan Hayes, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of grab
Noun
  • In addition to his work in the wind ensemble, Gael has been a key member of the marching band and indoor drumline, serving as lead snare drummer.
    — Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Echoing the raw feelings of heartbreak, the album is stripped back, with sparse snares and cymbals in lieu of a full drumkit.
    — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2025
Definition of snare
Noun
  • On Friday, a Russian ballistic missile and drone attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih -- Zelenskyy's home town -- killed 19 people, including nine children.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 6 Apr. 2025
  • There has been a big labor split, however, with carpenters and laborers unions going heavily for Moreno — and waging tough attacks against Aguirre.
    — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of attack
Noun
  • For the office scenes, the cast spent months at a time inside a windowless set, on a sound stage in the Bronx, wandering through a labyrinth of blinding-white Lumon hallways.
    — Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
  • The quest for clarity sends men, women, and children through a labyrinth of official and unofficial detention centers.
    — Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of labyrinth

Phrases Containing trap

Browse Nearby Words

transversely
trap
trapdoor
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Cite this Entry

“Trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trap. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on trap

Nglish: Translation of trap for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trap

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