booby trap
noun
a hidden bomb or mine so placed that it will be set off by an unsuspecting person through such means as moving an apparently harmless object.
booby-trapped
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past participleof booby-trap.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof booby-trap.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
booby trapnouna hidden bomb or mine so placed that it will be set off by an unsuspecting person through such means as moving an apparently harmless object.
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 best weapon in the “Jackass’” arsenal isn’t the taser, the beehive or the booby-trapped latrine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
But these nefarious prompts can also be hiding out on the internet as AI agents built into browsers encounter online data of dubious quality or origin, and potentially booby-trapped with hidden commands from hackers.
From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2025
Standing ovations on Broadway are so common you might imagine the seats have been booby-trapped to eject patrons as the curtain calls begin.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025
Calling Milley "unflinching in the face of danger," Biden said he "once ran across a bridge booby-trapped with mines to stop two battle tanks evacuating wounded troops from driving across it."
From Reuters ● Sep. 29, 2023
It was as though she sensed her own was booby-trapped.
From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson
