Synonyms

trapped

American

[trapt] / træpt /

adjective

caught in or as if in a trap or by a ruse, trick, or stratagem.

Relocate any trapped rabbit at least five miles from the capture site.
Early in the visit I became the trapped witness to a nasty argument between my host and his wife, which they expected me to arbitrate.
(of air, water, etc.) held or contained in an enclosed space or in another substance.

Make sure the clay is pressed flat, with no trapped air bubbles.
accidentally stuck or jammed in a narrow place from which release is difficult.

This excellent telescopic ladder has finger guards—no more trapped fingers when letting it down!
set with traps.

We followed the track carefully through heavily trapped bush to the meeting place.
(of a drain, pipe, or the like) furnished with a device for stopping undesirable substances from flowing through.

The pipes discharge wastewater into a sewer, usually through a trapped drain.
Baseball. (of a ball) caught as it hits the ground.

Challenges to the umpire included a trapped ball in the outfield that nobody else thought was actually caught.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of trap

Etymology

Origin of trapped

First recorded in 1425–75; trap ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; trap ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The circumstances of what caused the crash were not immediately available, but two adults and two infants were left trapped in the wreck, NBC4 reported.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Abi, from Evesham, Worcestershire, has had cynophobia her whole life and has "never felt more trapped and hopeless" than she does right now.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Horsfield’s version shows the kind of sumptuous cage many aspire to live in, revealing why some people prefer to remain lavishly trapped, and others rattle the bars, hoping for escape.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

However, there are key differences: qubits, as they are better known, are generally created by manipulating and measuring particles such as photons, electrons, or trapped ions.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

“They followed me and trapped me in a parking lot. But they still couldn’t see me.”

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023