ensnared 1 of 2

adjective

as in trapped

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ensnared

2 of 2

verb

past tense of ensnare
as in tangled
to catch or hold as if in a net parked just out of view, the state trooper was lying in wait to ensnare unwary speeders

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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 ensnared
Verb
In 2022, the author of this engrossing investigation travelled to Lagos, Nigeria, to find the person who, years earlier, ensnared his mother in an online romance scam. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 The irony here is that Singer is returning to his profession while so many ensnared in his application shenanigans never fully got back to theirs. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026 Off the field, head coach Mike Vrabel was ensnared in controversy. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 27 July 2026 But years later, some of the highest-flying professional clubs have folded due to financial mismanagement, and dozens of soccer officials have been banned or imprisoned, and numerous teams ensnared in an anti-graft campaign. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 July 2026 Torn between brotherly love and marital loyalty, Irwin discovers he’s ensnared in forces far beyond his control. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 16 July 2026 Ruemmler is the 18th high‑profile witness in a bipartisan House probe of Epstein’s powerful network, which has ensnared Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, investor Leon Black and Justice Department officials. — Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 The operation, ProPublica found, ensnared innocent residents of the majority-Black city who said they were targeted and harassed because of their race. — Topher Sanders, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 Tinky Winky, the purple Teletubby who was ensnared in controversy in 1999 when televangelist Jerry Falwell accused it of being gay (and yet rumors still linger on…), led moves with Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po all joining in on the fun. — Marc Malkin, Variety, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnared
  1. trapped
  2. tangled
  3. bound
  4. enslaved
Adjective
  • Less commonly, children gain access to a car on their own and become trapped, or in some cases they are intentionally left.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Check the bathroom vanity and mattress for spaces where a cat or kitten could crawl in and become trapped.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of trapped
Verb
  • These can’t go into curbside bins because the long cords can become tangled in the machines.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The ceiling arches in the back, hiding a tiny alcove where a couple sits tucked close, their legs tangled beneath the table.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of tangled
Adjective
  • The team checked this directly by computing how much of each galaxy's baryon budget actually stayed bound to the system.
    — Paul Sutter, Space.com, 9 June 2026
  • To help calculate a lower bound, Erdős assumed that the points would be laid out in a grid.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
Definition of bound
Adjective
  • The construction of the statue, completed in 1852, involved an enslaved apprentice.
    — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Of the 10 children Edy and her husband, Joseph Fossett, an enslaved blacksmith, had together, three were born in the White House.
    — Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of enslaved

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Cite this Entry

“Ensnared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnared. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ensnared

Nglish: Translation of ensnared for Spanish Speakers

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