trapped

American  

[trapt] / træpt /

adjective

1. 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.

2. (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.

3. 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!

4. set with traps.

   We followed the track carefully through heavily trapped bush to the meeting place.

5. (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.

6. 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.

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verb

1. 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

See Examples For:

trapped

They are legal filings, but they are also declarations or pleas to a judge: The government simply cannot keep this person locked away or trapped in servitude.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

"India's youth power is the real strength of this nation. My resolve is that we will not let the country's youth get trapped in a vicious cycle of confusion," he said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026

“They actually closed the gates and trapped us in to where we couldn’t leave,” Cooper testified.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

Methane is a naturally occurring gas that can sometimes be trapped underground.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Was this the same thing I’d seen trapped in the net the day Seth had passed out?

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

• captured
• cornered