entrap
C1-C2Formal, Legal
Definition
Meaning
To catch or trick someone, typically through deception, to force them into a compromising or dangerous situation.
To capture or ensnare, often in a literal physical sense (e.g., in a trap) or, more commonly, in a figurative sense through the use of cunning or unfair tactics.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Has strong negative connotations of deception and enticement into a situation that is harmful or incriminating. Closely associated with legal contexts regarding entrapment by law enforcement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Legal doctrines of 'entrapment' are well-established in both jurisdictions, though specific legal tests may differ.
Connotations
Consistently negative, implying underhandedness. In legal contexts, it specifically refers to law enforcement inducing a person to commit a crime they would not otherwise have committed.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to its prominence in U.S. criminal law discourse and popular crime dramas.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NP ___ NPNP ___ NP into VP-ingNP be/get entrappedNP be/get entrapped by NPVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(legal) defense of entrapment”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in contexts of unethical competition, e.g., 'The rival company attempted to entrap our executive in a bribery scandal.'
Academic
Used in legal, criminological, philosophical, and literary studies discussing ethics, agency, and power.
Everyday
Figurative use to describe feeling tricked or stuck, e.g., 'I felt entrapped in that terrible job.'
Technical
Predominantly a legal term of art, defining a specific defense in criminal law and a potential abuse of police power.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The police were criticised for attempting to entrap a suspect who showed no prior inclination to commit the offence.
- He felt utterly entrapped by the convoluted terms of the contract.
American English
- The defense attorney argued that the undercover agent entrapped her client into buying the drugs.
- The regulations seem designed to entrap small business owners in bureaucratic red tape.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The spider's web is designed to entrap flies.
- The salesman tried to entrap me into signing an expensive contract.
- The journalist accused the authorities of using agent provocateurs to entrap peaceful protesters.
- The legal doctrine of entrapment protects citizens from overzealous law enforcement tactics.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'EN' (put into) + 'TRAP' (a snare) = to put someone *into a trap*.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A PRISON (feeling entrapped by circumstances); COMMUNICATION IS HUNTING (entrapping someone with words).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not a direct equivalent for 'entrapment' (провокация), though 'to entrap' can be 'заманивать в ловушку' or 'провоцировать' in legal contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'entrap' with 'trap' (more general). 'Entrap' always implies a deliberate, deceptive action by an agent. Using it for inanimate forces is less common (e.g., 'The snow entrapped us' is possible but 'trapped' is more natural).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best illustrates the concept of 'entrapment'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its most precise and common formal use is legal (e.g., 'entrapment defense'), it is also used figuratively in everyday language to mean 'trick or deceive into a bad situation'.
'Trap' is a broader term for catching or being caught, by any means (e.g., animal trap, trapped in a lift). 'Entrap' specifically involves a deliberate, deceptive act by an agent to lure or trick someone into a trap, physical or metaphorical.
Almost never. Its connotations are uniformly negative, involving deceit and victimisation.
The most common related adjective is 'entrapped' (past participle used adjectivally). There is no commonly used standalone adjective like 'entrapful'.