Skip to main content
to trap

to trap

919 2.6
To catch and hold someone or something so they cannot leave
  • verb
  • /træp/
translation icon : atrapar
  • She set a bait to trap the mouse in the kitchen.
  • feel trapped
  • get trapped
  • become trapped

Just why did they trap that young man like that?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • No, it's... it's like we're trapped!

  • We have you trapped, and you cannot escape.

  • We want to trap her.

  • I hear they got him trapped.

  • I'm trapped in-- in this thing!

  • Don't let these dark artists really trap you in.

  • In winter, teenaged boys who should be able to trap and hunt had to rely on their parents.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Ravi trapped the gorilla inside that bin.

  • Storm struggled to settle into "civilized" life; she felt trapped by the manmade world.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Severe airway obstruction can cause air to be trapped inside the lungs, preventing the lungs from expanding fully.

    Academic text (2012)

Synonyms

to catch
vsto trap
1.0

To take hold of a moving person or thing to stop it

is broader, also including devices or situations that prevent escape
to lock
vsto trap
1.0

To fasten something with a key so other people cannot open it

is broader, applying also to deceptive or situational ways of preventing escape
to capture
vsto trap
884 2.8

To catch and take control of someone or something after a chase

is narrower in method, focusing on taking rather than causing entrapment by situation
to lock up
vsto trap
300 4.0

Put someone or something in a place where they cannot leave, for example a jail

includes that securing but also covers traps that are not locked or closed
to pin
vsto trap
99 2.1

To hold something or someone firmly so they cannot move

can also mean catching by a device or trick rather than physical holding
to lock in
vsto trap
70 3.9

To keep something inside so it cannot escape by closing or locking

is wider, including devices and tricks that stop escape, not only sealing
to lock away
vsto trap
32 3.4

Put someone or something somewhere they cannot leave and others cannot reach

is more general, also covering traps that use deception or situational obstacles
to lock into
vsto trap
22 5.8

A situation where you cannot leave an agreement or plan

focuses on immediate catching by device or trick rather than long term binding
to immobilize
vsto trap
21 6.0

To stop movement or action

is about catching or preventing escape specifically, not only stopping movement
to snare
vsto trap
18 5.6

To catch something, often by using a trap or a trick

is broader, covering devices, tricks, or situations that prevent escape
to bait
vsto trap
18 3.2

To use something to lure a person, animal or fish into a trap

is more general, covering other ways of stopping escape beyond lures
to pin down
vsto trap
17 5.1

To make someone give a clear answer and stop avoiding it

is more neutral, including physical and nonembarrassing methods of preventing escape
to ensnare
vsto trap
13 7.7

To trap someone or something, often by a trick when they are in a difficult situation

is more general, including physical devices as well as deceptive situations
to entrap
vsto trap
8 7.2

To catch a person or animal by tricking them so they cannot escape

is wider, applying to catching by device, trick, or circumstance
to ensnarl
vsto trap
1 9.3

To catch something in a net or trap so it cannot move

focuses more widely on any device or situation that prevents leaving
to trammel
vsto trap
  • Formal
1 9.9

To limit someone's freedom or ability to act

is broader, covering active catching by devices or tricks rather than only restriction
to gin
vsto trap
  • Archaic
9.9

To catch animals or people with a slip noose trap

includes this but also covers nonmechanical tricks or situational trapping
to springe
vsto trap
  • Archaic
9.9

To catch animals or people with a snare

is more general, applying to many devices, tricks, or situations

Antonyms

1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

1.4

To stop holding something or someone so they are free

104 4.3

Set someone free from prison or unfair control

Phrasal Verbs

Become tricked into a bad or dangerous situation

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 Effective

to imprison
  • Formal
178 4.2
capture
112 3.2
to trap
919 2.6
to ensnare
13 7.7
to obstruct
119 5.1

Surface Forms

trap infinitive
trapped past
trapped past participle
trapping present participle
traps third person singular

Etymology

Trap as a verb comes from that old idea of a 'snare', so to trap someone is simply 'to catch' or hold them so they cannot get away.