1
2
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
he noticed the booby trap in the interviewer's question just a little too late
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of booby-trap
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2024
The Department of Transportation tried to keep the process relatively frictionless, but the city council introduced a potential booby trap.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 Aug. 2024
Wary of booby traps and with evening closing in, the troops did not enter the building until the next day.
—James MacKenzie, Reuters, 18 Oct. 2024
Unfortunately, though, one open window negates all the padlocks, bolts, and booby traps money can buy.
—Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2019
See all Example Sentences for booby-trap 
Noun
In the desert, the Stranger and Nori have become aware they’re being followed and set about constructing a booby trap and maybe killing their stalker.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2024
The Department of Transportation tried to keep the process relatively frictionless, but the city council introduced a potential booby trap.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 Aug. 2024
Wary of booby traps and with evening closing in, the troops did not enter the building until the next day.
—James MacKenzie, Reuters, 18 Oct. 2024
Unfortunately, though, one open window negates all the padlocks, bolts, and booby traps money can buy.
—Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2019
See all Example Sentences for booby-trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for booby-trap
Verb
-
The mob attacked the sick and elderly and raped multiple women, according to the report.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN,
16 Feb. 2025
-
Government officials and local civil society leaders didn't immediately comment, though Congo's Communications Ministry said the rebels had violated ceasefire agreements and attacked Congolese troops working to avoid urban warfare and violence in Bukavu.—
JUSTIN KABUMBA,
arkansasonline.com,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
After the Royal Navy dotted the English Channel with mines and declared the whole North Sea a war zone in November 1914, Germany responded with a U-boat blockade of Britain.—
Sean Kingsley,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 Feb. 2025
-
The underground data center, located in a former limestone mine, stores 200 acres of physical data for many clients including the federal government.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Despite 13 buildings being burned down, one person killed, 11 wounded, 400 arrested and $1 million worth of damage, the game went off as scheduled without a hitch.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
10 Feb. 2025
-
So far, there haven’t been reports of major technical failings on Tubi’s end, indicating the event went on largely without a hitch.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The Palestinians who lived there had no homes because their homes were bombed (that is another story for another time).—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2025
-
But the most dangerous favor, by far, would be U.S. assistance in bombing Iranian nuclear sites — or even threatening to do so in a new campaign of diplomatic coercion.—
Rosemary Kelanic,
Twin Cities,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
On average, one person is killed or injured by land mines and other explosive ordnance every hour, according to UNICEF.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
8 Jan. 2025
-
But this month is packed with potential land mines that can disrupt the stock market’s momentum.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Major American investors, including Trump allies, are involved with companies prospecting nickel, iron and rare earth elements, even though much of it is trapped far under frozen ground or ice (in some parts of Greenland, the ice is two miles thick).—
Jeffrey Gettleman,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Many states have regulations or laws about trapping and releasing feral swine, for example, in order to help reduce the spread.—
Alan Clemons,
Outdoor Life,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Drowning poses another risk Drowning is another leading cause of death for migrants trying to reach the U.S. In California, for example, the 82-mile-long All-American Canal runs parallel to the U.S.-Mexico border.—
Marni LaFleur,
The Conversation,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Thus, there is always a lurking risk that your AI use will be detected.—
Andrew Brodsky,
TIME,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Zoom in: The story appears to have started when Politico missed payroll on Tuesday because of a tech snag, media reporter Will Sommer notes.—
Erica Pandey,
Axios,
5 Feb. 2025
-
Before, different procedures in the House and Senate caused time-consuming snags in this delivery system.—
Lorelei Kelly,
The Conversation,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near booby-trap
Cite this Entry
“Booby-trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/booby-trap. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share