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trap

trap

752 2.0
A thing that catches and holds animals or tricks people
  • noun
  • /træp/
translation icon : trampa
  • The documentary revealed how many people fall into the trap of believing misinformation.
  • fall into the trap
  • set a trap
  • a baited trap

And so there are plenty of traps that people can fall in.

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Examples

  • The resistance has fallen into Souther's trap!

  • Welcome to the world famous monkey trap where I keep all my toys.

  • If one of these rooms is a trap... then it could take everyone out.

  • Now, caught in his own trap, he did what he least wanted to do.

    Academic text (1990)
  • So not everyone falls into that trap, but a lot of people are.

  • How do people avoid the perfection trap when doing that?

  • And we're just falling into the trap of their currency, basically.

  • It was like you set a trap and just led 'em right to it.

  • Here, Todorov seems to be falling into the trap of confusing theory with practice.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The heavy marble trap door over them jammed and floodwater began to rise.

    Academic text (2015)

Synonyms

ambush
vstrap
130 5.5

An attack from a hidden place that surprises people

focuses on catching or ensnaring rather than launching a surprise attack
booby trap
vstrap
  • Specialized
20 7.0

A hidden bomb that explodes when someone touches or steps on it

covers devices that catch or trick, not only explosive injury devices
snare
vstrap
11 6.7

A situation that tricks people by looking harmless or attractive

is more general, covering any device or situation that holds or tricks
pitfall
vstrap
1 5.2

A hidden hole in the ground that traps animals or people

is broader, also including non‑hidden devices and deceptive situations
steel trap
vstrap
1 7.5

A metal device with strong springs and sharp jaws that catches animals

includes that physical catching but also nonmechanical and situational forms
iron trap
vstrap
  • Informal
9.7

A situation you cannot escape from

is less extreme, covering both easy and hard to escape situations
ambuscade
vstrap
9.9

An act of hiding and then suddenly attacking people

is about catching or holding rather than performing a sudden assault

Antonyms

1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

320 1.1

An act of getting away from a place where you are kept or are in danger

Compounds

booby trap
  • Specialized
20 7.0

A hidden bomb that explodes when someone touches or steps on it

17 3.3

A door in a floor or stage that opens to a space below

6 3.3

A shallow pit filled with sand that makes golf shots harder

5 3.8

A place on a road where police hide to catch drivers going too fast

tourist trap
  • Informal
5 4.2

A place that attracts tourists and charges them too much for poor quality things or services

1 6.6

A hidden problem that surprises someone and causes trouble

steel trap
  • Informal
1 7.3

A very quick, sharp mind that notices things and remembers details

poverty trap
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A situation where earning more causes loss of government help and keeps people poor

1 7.5

A metal device with strong springs and sharp jaws that catches animals

1 9.1

A tool used to catch monkeys by giving them bait they cannot remove

trap line
  • Jargon
1 8.9

A route of spots where people set things to catch animals and check them regularly

iron trap
  • Informal
9.7

A situation you cannot escape from

reverse trap
  • Informal
9.1

A trick that backfires and harms the person who set it

penis fly trap
  • Offensive
9.9

A very revealing outfit that draws attention to the wearer's crotch area

A sticky surface that catches insects when they land or crawl on it

trap block
  • Jargon
7.9

In American football, an illegal action where a player hits another player from the side or behind

trap-and-drain auger
  • Specialized
8.8

A tool with a long flexible wire that clears blockages in drains

A spider that makes a silk-lined underground nest with a camouflaged lid

A feeling of being held back by what other people expect you to do

trap play
  • Jargon
7.3

A play that lets a defender pass the start line then blocks them to open a gap for the runner

trap rock
  • Specialized
5.7

A hard dark rock formed by volcanoes that people use to build roads and buildings

A situation where what others expect limits a person's choices

A garden or terrace that gets as much sun as possible while being sheltered from cold wind

subscription trap
  • Literature
7.6

A situation where you pay regular fees without clear permission and cannot easily stop them

How Dangerous

deathtrap
8 8.2
pitfall
35 4.8
trap
752 2.0
snare
8 5.2
mousetrap
7 2.0

Surface Forms

trap singular
traps plural

Etymology

Trap first meant a 'snare' — a simple tool to catch animals — so the basic idea of something that catches or tricks someone gives the word its main meaning today.