TRAPPING Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

trapping

verb

Definition of trapping

present participle of trap

as in tangling

to catch or hold as if in a net an ambitious young man who was now trapped in a series of shady business deals

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in grabbing

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly finally trapped the annoying fly in the palm of his hand

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 trapping Beavers were nearly wiped out due to 300 years of trapping and trading. — Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Henri Bezy, 82, was sleeping inside when Matis came crashing in, trapping him under the car. — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026 That snow warms the ground below and allows microbes during the winter to release more of the heat-trapping gas methane, Elmendorf said. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 At least 30 people were killed in a massive landslide in Guinea on Sunday when a mountainous open-air landfill collapsed and buried nearby shacks, trapping numerous victims beneath a mass of garbage. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026 After marking his 61st birthday with a vintage video from his 3rd birthday back in 1966, Stamos returned to thirst-trapping for his 62nd. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Aug. 2026 McLoughlin and colleagues William Jimeno and Dominick Pezzulo were on the main concourse between the two towers when the South Tower collapsed, trapping them in the rubble 30 feet underground. — ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026 Settlers have surrounded three Palestinian houses for more than a week, trapping families inside as Israeli troops declare a closed military zone and Washington issues an unusually sharp condemnation. — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Multistory buildings and homes tumbled, trapping residents underneath. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for trapping

Verb

Specialized compartments for rings, statement necklaces, and dainty earrings keep each piece accessible, plus the soft material prevents tangling and damage.

— Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026
If your duvet cover has buttons or zippers, Ceconi recommends fastening the closures before laundering to prevent tangling.

— Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026

Definition of tangling

Verb

Two men bought tickets to enter Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) before smashing a display case, grabbing a 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace and walking away, police said Friday.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
In the commercial, Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark rushes over to his golf bag and pushes over golfer Alexis Miestowski to keep her from grabbing the Quantum Driver.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of grabbing

Verb

Democrats called the hearing a politically motivated attempt at entrapping Fauci and praised the scientist for his work during the pandemic.

— Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Another one of the Tates’ lawyers filed a claim on Fisher’s behalf, accusing Hadley of entrapping him.

— Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

Definition of entrapping

Verb

There was no catching the Redhawks on this night with Hayes playing like a world-beater.

— Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
During the show, he was filmed skiing to the South Pole, catching a giant anaconda, milking a venomous tarantula and diving under the ice of the North Pole.

— Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of catching

Verb

First baseman Michael Busch finished the play by reaching out and snaring Hoerner’s dazzling throw to complete the highlight and nab the speedy Salazar for the out.

— Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
Pickens was even more dominant, snaring nine balls for 144 yards and a score.

— Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2025

Definition of snaring

Verb

Wealthy Americans living in luxe California mansions and New York penthouses are now snatching up historic homes abroad.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Lately Becker has been snatching up vintage Lalique pieces that, in this setting, have the frosty haze of sea glass.

— Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of snatching

Verb

Xinhua The anti-corruption campaign has reached every level of China’s political system, ensnaring millions of senior leaders and rank-and-file officials.

— Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
And in that quest for unbridled growth, the AI industry has wrested ungodly amounts of capital from investors all looking for the next big thing, ensnaring the entire economy.

— Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026

Definition of ensnaring

Verb

Researchers trained the system on flat-ground walking data from Medauroidea extradentata, capturing movements across 18 leg joints.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Anedda’s way of capturing different moments from different linguistic or interpretive points of view allows the everyday elements of our lives to find space in poetry, democratically.

— Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of capturing

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trapping

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“Trapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trapping. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of trapping

verb

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