trap

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈtrap 

1

: a device for taking game or other animals

especially : one that holds by springing shut suddenly

2

a

: something by which one is caught or stopped unawares

also : a position or situation from which it is difficult or impossible to escape

b

: a football play in which a defensive player is allowed to cross the line of scrimmage and then is blocked from the side while the ballcarrier advances through the spot vacated by the defensive player

c

: the act or an instance of trapping the ball in soccer

d

: a defensive maneuver in basketball in which two defenders converge quickly on the ball handler to steal the ball or force a bad pass

3

a

: a device for hurling clay pigeons into the air

b

: sand trap

c

: a piece of leather or section of interwoven leather straps between the thumb and index finger of a baseball glove that forms an extension of the pocket

4

slang : mouth

5

: a light usually one-horse carriage with springs

6

: any of various devices for preventing passage of something often while allowing other matter to proceed

especially : a device for drains or sewers consisting of a bend or partitioned chamber in which the liquid forms a seal to prevent the passage of sewer gas

7

traps plural : a group of percussion instruments (such as a bass drum, snare drums, and cymbals) used especially in a dance or jazz band

8

: an arrangement of rock strata that favors the accumulation of oil and gas

9

traps plural [speed trap] : a measured stretch of a course over which electronic timing devices measure the speed of a vehicle (such as a racing car or dragster)

trap

2 of 5

verb (1)

trapped; trapping; traps

transitive verb

1

a

: to catch or take in or as if in a trap : entrap

b

: to place in a restricted position : confine

trapped in the burning wreck

2

: to provide or set (a place) with traps

3

a

: stop, hold

these mountains trap rains and fogs generated over the ocean

—Amer. Guide Series: Calif.

b

: to separate out (something, such as water from steam)

4

a

: to catch (something, such as a baseball) immediately after a bounce

b

: to block out (a defensive football player) by means of a trap

c

: to stop and gain control of (a soccer ball) with a part of the body other than the hands or arms

intransitive verb

1

: to engage in trapping animals (as for furs)

2

: to make a defensive trap in basketball

trapper noun

trap

3 of 5

noun (2)

variants or trap music

: rap music typically featuring heavy bass, synthesized drums, and triplet-based (see triplet sense 3) rhythms

Trap, an Atlanta-born rap subgenre, is characterized by sharp snares and booming bass, as well as … minor-key melodies.

—Walter Thompson-Hernández

The start of the digital era saw the popularity of trap music taking over the underground rap scene …

—Kyann-Sian Williams

Just think of how many hip-hop trends, from the street-hardened fatalism and stark beats of trap music to the punchy, triplet flow spawned by Migos' experimentalism, have bubbled up from the underground, and eventually even altered the feel of mainstream pop.

—Jewly Hight

—often used before another noun

Many trap artists utilize the triplet flow …

—Jay Quan

The series follows young adults on the … rap and trap music scene …

—Pablo Sandoval

With "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X twanged country tropes over a trap beat …

—Chris Kelly

trap

4 of 5

verb (2)

trapped; trapping; traps

transitive verb

: to adorn with or as if with trappings or decorations

The knightly housing's ample fold / Was velvet blue, and trapped with gold.

—Walter Scott

trap

5 of 5

noun (3)

plural traps

: traprock

—often used before another noun

trap soils

trap basalt

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• ambush
• net
• snare
• web

Verb (1)

• catch up
• enmesh
• immesh
• ensnare
• ensnarl
• entangle
• entoil
• entrap
• mesh
• net
• snare
• tangle

Choose the Right Synonym for trap

catch, capture, trap, snare, entrap, ensnare, bag mean to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing.

catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

trap, snare, entrap, ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor.

trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals

snared butterflies with a net

entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question

a sting operation that ensnared burglars

bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

Examples of trap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And yet, without spoiling the ending,The People’s Joker does not fall into the trap of cynicism that so plagued Phillips’ Joker. —Abraham Josephine Riesman, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024

Then, in 2010, Craig Packer from the University of Minnesota launched a bold project to establish 200 camera traps in central Serengeti. —T. Michael Anderson, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024

The friend-of-the-court briefs piling up on the Supreme Court’s EMTALA docket include several outlining the horrific moral and legal trap facing doctors caught between EMTALA and antiabortion state laws. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024

After weeks of evading capture, the 14-foot-long crocodile finally fell for the trap, officials said. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024

Hiking through the dense forest, Lobo pointed out a camera trap that photographs wild jaguars, which are once again flourishing in Honduras. —Nora Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2024

The effort will combine new data from camera traps, field surveys and input from hundreds of experts across Southeast Asia to determine local sun bear presence. —Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2024

That way, the rat has to work at getting the nut, which will trigger the trap. —Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2024

The entire percussion section was on point, with lively xylophones scampering over a trap kit, adding lots of unexpected timbral pop. —Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024

Verb

If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point and call 911 if possible. —Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024

She was trapped and brought to the shelter in November. —Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2024

An adult bus passenger was trapped in the wreckage and had to be freed by first responders, the N.C. State Highway Patrol reported in a news release. —Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2024

The uncle awoke and fled the home with the other children before attempting to get to the attic where Rashaan was trapped, according to the report. —Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2024

The oceans absorb 90 percent of the heat trapped by emissions, which is causing the ice sheets and glaciers to melt and the sea levels to rise. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024

In addition to trapping moisture, waffle cloths dry quickly compared to other weaves. —Jenna Clark, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2024

During the war surrounding Israel’s foundation in 1948, Arab forces imposed a punishing siege on Jerusalem, and Jews trapped inside the city sent their children to forage for khobeza, also known as chalamit in Hebrew. —Bilal Shbair, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024

When the door opened, the gunman open fired on a squad of police officers, who were trapped on a cramped hotel floor with no space to take cover. —Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English treppe & Anglo-French trape (of Germanic origin); akin to Middle Dutch trappe trap, stair, Old English treppan to tread

Noun (2)

probably after trap or trap house "building or apartment where illicit drugs are sold," from trap entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English trappen, from trappe caparison, from Anglo-French trape, probably from Medieval Latin trapus cloth, by-form of Late Latin drappus

Noun (3)

Swedish trapp, from trappa stair, from Middle Low German trappe; akin to Middle Dutch trappe stair

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

2003, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1794, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing trap

• light trap
• lobster trap
• thirst trap
• poverty trap
• keep one's trap shut
• leghold trap
• live trap
• trap-door spider
• speed trap
• rat trap cheese
• steel-trap
• trap beat
• blacklight trap
• trap music
• sand trap
• death trap
• spring a trap
• tourist trap

Kids Definition

trap

1 of 2 noun

ˈtrap 

1

: a device for catching animals

especially : one that catches by springing shut suddenly

2

: something by which one is caught unawares

3

a

: a device for hurling clay pigeons into the air

b

: sand trap

4

: a light usually one-horse carriage with springs

5

: any of various devices for preventing passage of one thing often while allowing something else to proceed

especially : a device for drains or sewers consisting of a bend or chamber in which the liquid forms a seal to prevent the passage of sewer gas

6

plural : a group of percussion instruments (as in a dance band)

trap

2 of 2 verb

trapped; trapping

1

a

: to catch in or as if in a trap

trap a bird

b

: to place in a restricted position : confine

was almost trapped in the burning building

2

: to provide or set with a trap

3

: to engage in trapping animals (as for fur)

trapper noun