1
as in ambushes
a device or scheme for capturing another by surprise
undercover agents devised a trap to catch the counterfeiters a bear trap
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ambushments
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 tangles
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 snares
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grabs
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 traps
Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
The team deployed 10 traps between March 30 and May 16, 2023.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Denise Petski, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
Having a chronic illness traps your soul in the body, O’Neal says.
—Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for traps
Noun
The researchers set up 10 traps between March 30 and May 16, 2023.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
The team deployed 10 traps between March 30 and May 16, 2023.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
Created by John Griffin (Crater) From unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town that traps all those who enter.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
Having a chronic illness traps your soul in the body, O’Neal says.
—Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for traps
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traps
Noun
-
Service members could face ambushes en route, and specialized units would need to extract the uranium.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Once an octopus ambushes and bites its prey, the venom in its saliva paralyzes the prey, allowing the octopus to consume it.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This can happen due to your natural hair texture, dryness, or environmental stressors like wind, friction from your pillowcase, or pollution—your cuticles can catch on each other like Velcro, Small says, causing tangles.—
Sarah Felbin,
Allure,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The microfiber-esque texture, Dyson says, allows for the cones to pick up hair without tangles.—
Adam Campbell-Schmitt,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Or, worse, how do dogs and pigs do it, with their litters, all those tiny mouths begging—is that what’s become of me?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Players who cover their mouths will be issued red cards, the International Football Association Board unanimously agreed at a special meeting Tuesday in Canada.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hair snares use tape and wire to collect DNA and other data by collecting a sample of wild animal hair when creatures pass by, according to Popular Science.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Maybe Deandre Ayton snares his first signature Lakers moment.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ebuehi starts to drive away as the officer reaches out and grabs Ebuehi and the scooter.—
Naveen Dhaliwal,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The zookeeper grabs him and delivers the line of the year.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Both Hezbollah and Israel have have defended their attacks and claimed that the other has violated the ceasefire.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
-
While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the meantime, Israel is taking measures on the ground to defend troops, such as adding nets and cages to military vehicles.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
West Beach is more active, with easy access to water sports and volleyball nets.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This superb thriller about an obsessed fan (Kathy Bates) who rescues, and then entraps, a best-selling author (James Caan) still stands as an edge-of-your-seat experience.—
Julie Hinds,
Freep.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Traps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traps. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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