as in trapped
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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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Recent Examples of ensnared
Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
This is not the first time Polymarket has been ensnared in controversy.
—Niamh Kennedy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
At least 75 vehicles were ensnared in a massive, chain-reaction pileup on a Colorado highway Tuesday, authorities said.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
The legal team’s withdrawal from the case marks the latest update in the tangled knot of litigation that has ensnared the city and Carollo for years, stemming from the same general allegations levied by Little Havana businessmen Bill Fuller and Martin Pinilla.
—Tess Riski
april 14, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
The narrative was positive for the Gibbs organization, which has been ensnared in some unflattering headlines after suing former competition director Chris Gabehart for breach of contract.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium sent a laser through traffic that Dostál ensnared to leave the score at 2-1 through 40 minutes.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
It's ensnared all kinds of products, including phones, laptops, and consoles, forcing consumers to pay more or hold off on purchases.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
The high-profile dispute has, over the past year and a half, ensnared several other celebrities in Lively and Baldoni's orbit as the discovery process in their case exposed the stars' private communications.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
Both of Seatrium’s predecessor companies were ensnared in Operation Car Wash, Brazil’s sweeping anti-corruption investigation that eventually consumed much of the country’s political and business establishment.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
This is not the first time Polymarket has been ensnared in controversy.
—Niamh Kennedy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
At least 75 vehicles were ensnared in a massive, chain-reaction pileup on a Colorado highway Tuesday, authorities said.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
The legal team’s withdrawal from the case marks the latest update in the tangled knot of litigation that has ensnared the city and Carollo for years, stemming from the same general allegations levied by Little Havana businessmen Bill Fuller and Martin Pinilla.
—Tess Riski
april 14, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
The narrative was positive for the Gibbs organization, which has been ensnared in some unflattering headlines after suing former competition director Chris Gabehart for breach of contract.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium sent a laser through traffic that Dostál ensnared to leave the score at 2-1 through 40 minutes.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
It's ensnared all kinds of products, including phones, laptops, and consoles, forcing consumers to pay more or hold off on purchases.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
The high-profile dispute has, over the past year and a half, ensnared several other celebrities in Lively and Baldoni's orbit as the discovery process in their case exposed the stars' private communications.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnared
Adjective
-
However, sealing your deck too frequently can actually wear the deck boards out faster by causing a buildup of sealer that leads to cracking, peeling, and trapped moisture, which causes the wood to rot.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Most of us remain trapped in our own language bubble and cultural assumptions, and the publishing industry is no exception.—
The Dial,
The Dial,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Within a month, the former lawyer was tangled in a complicated web of legal controversies.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
McDavid appeared to catch an edge early in the second period after getting tangled up with teammate Mattias Ekholm and the Ducks’ Ian Moore.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Play-in bound, seed still TBA: Los Angeles Clippers, Portland, Charlotte, Miami.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The Dodgers’ split-squad group that journeyed the 14 miles from Glendale (and ultimately lost to Texas, 7-6) was largely a skeleton crew of Triple-A bound prospects and wannabes.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
His party included an enslaved man, modeled after York, and a trusty dog, modeled after Lewis’s Newfoundland.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
-
These excursions also offer access to the upstairs of the Big House, where the former plantation’s owners once lived — after entering through the building’s rear, as an enslaved person would.—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ensnared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnared. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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