ensnared 1 of 2

adjective

as in trapped

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ensnared

2 of 2

verb

past tense of ensnare
as in tangled
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ensnared
Verb
Off the field, head coach Mike Vrabel was ensnared in controversy. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 27 July 2026 But years later, some of the highest-flying professional clubs have folded due to financial mismanagement, and dozens of soccer officials have been banned or imprisoned, and numerous teams ensnared in an anti-graft campaign. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 July 2026 Torn between brotherly love and marital loyalty, Irwin discovers he’s ensnared in forces far beyond his control. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 16 July 2026 Ruemmler is the 18th high‑profile witness in a bipartisan House probe of Epstein’s powerful network, which has ensnared Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, investor Leon Black and Justice Department officials. — Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 The operation, ProPublica found, ensnared innocent residents of the majority-Black city who said they were targeted and harassed because of their race. — Topher Sanders, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 Tinky Winky, the purple Teletubby who was ensnared in controversy in 1999 when televangelist Jerry Falwell accused it of being gay (and yet rumors still linger on…), led moves with Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po all joining in on the fun. — Marc Malkin, Variety, 25 June 2026 González's chief of staff Francisco Domenech is the latest to be ensnared in a high-profile investigation, following the resignation last month of Puerto Rico’s economic development chief Sebastián Negrón, who accused the administration of interfering with the agency's work. — ABC News, 18 June 2026 Who else in Newsom’s circle has been ensnared by DOJ’s investigations? — Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnared
  1. trapped
  2. tangled
  3. bound
  4. enslaved
Adjective
  • The earwigs are attracted by the scent of the soy sauce and easily become trapped in the oil mixture.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 21 July 2026
  • For years, many researchers believed quantum wells would struggle to support efficient terahertz operation because electrons could become trapped inside the structures for too long.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 19 July 2026
Definition of trapped
Verb
  • June 21 – July 22 Money or trust could expose where comfort and control have gotten tangled.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
  • Almost every 22-minute chapter here follows the same comfortably familiar outline, with the leads getting acclimated to a new universe, getting tangled up in a life-or-death showdown and then fleeing to the next one.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
Definition of tangled
Adjective
  • The team checked this directly by computing how much of each galaxy's baryon budget actually stayed bound to the system.
    — Paul Sutter, Space.com, 9 June 2026
  • To help calculate a lower bound, Erdős assumed that the points would be laid out in a grid.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
Definition of bound
Adjective
  • While standing at the case, visitors can hear the audio of the speech where Douglass criticizes Americans celebrating freedom while millions remain enslaved.
    — Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • In addition to mandating short hair, Rome also forbade clothing made with animal skins, even for enslaved people—another fashion associated with Germanic enemies.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Definition of enslaved

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Cite this Entry

“Ensnared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnared. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of ensnared for Spanish Speakers

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