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
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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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of trap
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025
Carbon dioxide, which is released when fossil fuels are burned, traps heat in the atmosphere and is largely responsible for the warming of the climate.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
In the Season 1 finale, the Game Maker seemed to be two steps ahead of Morgan and Adam, and even kidnapped their beloved coworker Detective Lev Osman (Deniz Akdeniz), horrifyingly leaving him trapped at the bottom of a pool.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trap
Noun
Make sure to remove fur and lint from the dryer lint trap after you're done.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025
Carbon dioxide, which is released when fossil fuels are burned, traps heat in the atmosphere and is largely responsible for the warming of the climate.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
An investigation by Bloomberg found 140 incidents of people being trapped in their Teslas due to problems with the door handles, including several that resulted in horrific injuries.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
In the Season 1 finale, the Game Maker seemed to be two steps ahead of Morgan and Adam, and even kidnapped their beloved coworker Detective Lev Osman (Deniz Akdeniz), horrifyingly leaving him trapped at the bottom of a pool.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trap
Noun
-
The ambush unleashed a brutal firefight that ended in Ruth's death.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Molly Wells is reeling from the heartbreak of a billionaire ambush and public declaration of love gone awry in Entertainment Weekly’s exclusive first look at season 3 of Loot.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This enables easy removal without tangles or hair damage.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
18 Sep. 2025
-
And while the musky-floral fragrance brings major beach vibes, the nonsticky styler skips the sea salt, replacing it with hydrolyzed rice protein to add volume and natural movement minus the crunchiness or tangles.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Outside of illness, allergies, smoking, breathing through your mouth while sleeping and going under general anesthesia can also cause your throat to hurt when swallowing.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The Power Of Specialization Today, my clinical focus is on full-mouth dental implants.—
Devan Dalla,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hatt was ejected from the truck, and Winkler was entrapped.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Aug. 2025
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That total lack of self-awareness and disregard for consequences fed right into Epstein’s warped way of entrapping others.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Plus, grab knife sets and a nifty electric can opener to streamline your cooking.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
-
As Jey checked on Jimmy, LA Knight grabbed the steel chair and teased hitting Jey Uso.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Daugherty put the snare around the animal.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
As the gator wore down Blake got a snare around it and worked it toward their boat.—
Bob McNally,
Outdoor Life,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And now Google warns that Chrome is under attack, issuing an emergency update and a recommendation to upgrade all desktop browsers immediately.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Ukrainian defense forces took down the 230-foot (70 meters) antenna dish to prevent Russian forces from using it to guide attacks on its territory.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The European capital with an underwater labyrinth hidden beneath its streets.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Tasked with solving Jareth’s labyrinth to secure Toby’s safety, Sarah races against time to defeat the goblin’s trickster army.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trap. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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