as in trapping
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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Recent Examples of ensnaring
That observation drove home for me how ensnaring this oppression must feel, how vast the spatial footprint of ICE’s boot.
—
Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
The Greek name is of uncertain origin, but it’s often linked to ideas of binding, entangling, or ensnaring—reflecting the Sirens’ deadly allure.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Montespan’s rivals accused her of ensnaring the king using the dark art of potions.
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Out of her depth, Diane digs deeper into the investigation, her determination to uncover the truth revealing a web of corruption and danger at the highest levels, ensnaring Diane, her family and all those around her.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, funding for critical government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC), as well as national flood insurance are running critically low on funds, potentially ensnaring millions of Americans.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
And yet, these counterattacks may be ensnaring scientists in a catch-22.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2025
Preventing disputes from erupting in the first place can help people avert the costly and embarrassing kind of litigation now ensnaring Jimmy Buffett’s estate.
—Naomi Cahn, The Conversation, 2 July 2025
Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
The Greek name is of uncertain origin, but it’s often linked to ideas of binding, entangling, or ensnaring—reflecting the Sirens’ deadly allure.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Montespan’s rivals accused her of ensnaring the king using the dark art of potions.
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Out of her depth, Diane digs deeper into the investigation, her determination to uncover the truth revealing a web of corruption and danger at the highest levels, ensnaring Diane, her family and all those around her.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, funding for critical government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC), as well as national flood insurance are running critically low on funds, potentially ensnaring millions of Americans.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
And yet, these counterattacks may be ensnaring scientists in a catch-22.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2025
Preventing disputes from erupting in the first place can help people avert the costly and embarrassing kind of litigation now ensnaring Jimmy Buffett’s estate.
—Naomi Cahn, The Conversation, 2 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnaring
Verb
-
Once wed, Heathcliff immediately turns abusive, killing her dog by hanging it from a tree and trapping her at Wuthering Heights.—
Becky Little,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The project would capture carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and sequester it underground in North Dakota, to capitalize on federal tax credits incentivizing the prevention of heat-trapping emissions into the atmosphere.—
Meghan O'Brien,
States Newsroom,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lightweight fabrics tumble more evenly, reducing the chance of tangling.—
Anyssa Roberts,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
-
This will help prevent tangling and stretching during the wash cycle.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The vehicle caught on fire, entrapping the boy, who was pronounced dead at the scene.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Getting young people to trust and depend on the traffickers is part of entrapping them.—
Anne P. DePrince,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ensnaring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnaring. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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