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
And in that quest for unbridled growth, the AI industry has wrested ungodly amounts of capital from investors all looking for the next big thing, ensnaring the entire economy.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
The upcoming April 7 vote over the renewal of Kansas City’s 1% earnings tax will mark one of the biggest tests of whether that opposition could risk ensnaring a critical resource for the city.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
After months of investigating allegations of a $140 million Ponzi scheme, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office has made numerous criminal referrals and issued $1 million in fines, ensnaring a number of state GOP figures.
—Olivia Rubin, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
More so, though, Levin took it upon himself to appeal directly to the person who wrote the note, at the very least cautioning them against ensnaring themselves in a federal crime.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 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
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
The upcoming April 7 vote over the renewal of Kansas City’s 1% earnings tax will mark one of the biggest tests of whether that opposition could risk ensnaring a critical resource for the city.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
After months of investigating allegations of a $140 million Ponzi scheme, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office has made numerous criminal referrals and issued $1 million in fines, ensnaring a number of state GOP figures.
—Olivia Rubin, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
More so, though, Levin took it upon himself to appeal directly to the person who wrote the note, at the very least cautioning them against ensnaring themselves in a federal crime.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnaring
Verb
-
Double quantum dot to the rescue Researchers at EPFL and other institutes in Europe teamed up to build a tiny detector that combines a semiconductor structure with a superconducting microwave cavity to form a resonant circuit capable of trapping microwave photons and measuring them.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
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The Islamic republic has threatened to attack vessels traversing the strait throughout the conflict, which has effectively closed off the conduit, trapping hundreds of ships in the Persian Gulf and spiking oil prices globally.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
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The instinctive Moon opposes jovial Jupiter, tangling your 10th House of Ambition with your 4th House of Comfort.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 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 6 Apr. 2026.
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