booby-trap 1 of 2

as in to attack
to place hidden explosive devices in or under booby-trapped the field bordering the army's camp

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booby trap

2 of 2

noun

1
as in mine
a usually concealed explosive device designed to go off when disturbed luckily, the bomb squad didn't find any booby traps

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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

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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
Noun
From guns to booby traps, Dutch leads the charge to take down the gnarly, terrifying looking alien. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 Nov. 2024 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 See All Example Sentences for booby-trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for booby-trap
Verb
  • When Jensen then decides to go long, Collins and Pinnock move towards the near post and Wissa adjusts his position to be able to attack the second ball.
    Mark Carey, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The Trump administration has attacked DEI on college campuses with particular zeal, threatening investigations, lawsuits and canceled federal funding.
    Graham Kates, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This means logistics operators could eliminate the upfront costs of traditional transportation infrastructure like airstrips, roads and railroads when moving cargo to and from remote sites like Arctic mines and oil and gas operations.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2025
  • His father died in a coal mine fire, reminiscent of Katniss’ dad, who also died in a mining accident.
    Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Melissa Rivers reflects on losing her home in LA wildfires Luckily, the ceremony went on without a hitch Saturday, with the pair exchanging vows in front of 150 guests, People reports.
    Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Comments Gal Gadot's star ceremony, her induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, did not go off without a hitch.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Israel bombed Gaza in what was one of the deadliest single days since the war began.
    Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The movie bombed at the box office, grossing less than $40 million domestically.
    Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Anti-personnel land mines have caused more civilian casualties in Ukraine than any other type of land mine or explosive remnants, according to Amnesty International.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
  • China has provided a grant to help a Cambodian project clearing land mines and unexploded bombs days after the freeze on payments by USAID to its partners had forced it to suspend work, the head of the group said.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • That's a problem when they're trapped in an experimental machine that simulates their creative ideas.
    James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Meanwhile, cries for help emerged on social media for a group of priests trapped inside a church in the Carrefour-Feuilles neighborhood, which endured much of the attack by the Viv Ansanm gang coalition that began late Tuesday.
    Compiled by Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Varnado had been previously arrested on March 25, 2024, on domestic violence charges that included second-degree breach of peace and risk of injury to a minor, court records show.
    Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 19 Mar. 2025
  • While not currently considered threatened, habitat degradation and overfishing pose risks to their populations, making continued research and conservation efforts essential.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • After that, everything basically fell into place, apart from one big snag: The rear fan was too close to the motherboard tray to slide our motherboard over the case’s standoffs without scraping; the I/O connectors' top cover got in the way.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Barring those snags, at this price, the Razr 2024 is a good way to test the folding-phone waters without breaking the bank.
    Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Booby-trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/booby-trap. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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