1
as in tangling
to catch or hold as if in a net
an ambitious young man who was now trapped in a series of shady business deals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grabbing
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
finally trapped the annoying fly in the palm of his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of trapping
Artificial lights disrupt this carefully tuned internal navigation system, throwing birds off their path and even trapping them in bright beams.
—
K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
Porte + Hall’s durable, dirt-trapping entryway rug.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
In the industrial revolution, emissions from factories and eventually cars began polluting our air, trapping atmospheric gases and warming our planet, pushing temperatures to dangerous levels.
—Brandon Goldner, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
After seven years of trapping, swaddling, collaring and monitoring them in the Twin Cities, Miller doesn’t think his middle-school self was far off.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
For now, the trapping operations continue.
—Ryan Brennan
april 21, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
The situation is still developing, and future closures are expected as long as trapping operations continue.
—Ryan Brennan
april 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
The flames quickly spread to the second floor, trapping a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman inside an apartment.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
Nests tucked into corners or under joists can also cause damage by trapping moisture and attracting secondary pests such as carpenter ants and termites.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026
K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
Porte + Hall’s durable, dirt-trapping entryway rug.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
In the industrial revolution, emissions from factories and eventually cars began polluting our air, trapping atmospheric gases and warming our planet, pushing temperatures to dangerous levels.
—Brandon Goldner, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
After seven years of trapping, swaddling, collaring and monitoring them in the Twin Cities, Miller doesn’t think his middle-school self was far off.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
For now, the trapping operations continue.
—Ryan Brennan
april 21, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
The situation is still developing, and future closures are expected as long as trapping operations continue.
—Ryan Brennan
april 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
The flames quickly spread to the second floor, trapping a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman inside an apartment.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
Nests tucked into corners or under joists can also cause damage by trapping moisture and attracting secondary pests such as carpenter ants and termites.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trapping
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
-
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
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The Jaguars used their first pick of the NFL draft to land the blocking tight end Friday night, grabbing him in the second round with the 56th selection.—
Mark Long,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Seahawks stayed put yet again at the end of the second round, grabbing TCU safety Bud Clark with the 64th pick.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The vehicle caught on fire, entrapping the boy, who was pronounced dead at the scene.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Getting young people to trust and depend on the traffickers is part of entrapping them.—
Anne P. DePrince,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The Chicago White Sox have been searching for offensive production from the catching position.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Sophomore Nate Roberts is a 6-5, 240-pounder who has blocking experience and showed off versatility catching passes in the spring.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Pickens was even more dominant, snaring nine balls for 144 yards and a score.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Nov. 2025
-
At least Cochrane was familiar with the feeling of snaring an interception.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Joaquín Guzmán, a former leader of the Chapitos, confessed to the 2024 kidnapping of Zambada, snatching him at a meeting, flying him by private plane to the United States and handing him over to authorities.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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This adjustable, two-piece lanyard set helps reduce the chances of a passerby or someone speeding by on a scooter from snatching your phone.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Six years later, after months of military buildup in the Caribbean, the United States launched an unprecedented military operation in Venezuela, bombing Caracas and capturing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from the Presidential Palace.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
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From Edward Steichen to Annie Leibovitz, Vanity Fair has been capturing the greatest physical forms in sport, fitness, and dance for a century.—
Jonathan Pace,
Vanity Fair,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trapping. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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