ensnare
Americanverb (used with object)
-
ensnares,
present (3rd person singular)
-
ensnared,
past participle, past
-
ensnaring
present participle
verb
-
to catch or trap in a snare
-
to trap or gain power over someone by dishonest or underhand means
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
ensnaresimple
-
ensnaressimple
-
have ensnaredperfect
-
has ensnaredperfect
-
am ensnaringprogressive
-
are ensnaringprogressive
-
is ensnaringprogressive
-
have been ensnaringperfect progressive
-
has been ensnaringperfect progressive
Past
-
ensnaredsimple
-
had ensnaredperfect
-
was ensnaringprogressive
-
were ensnaringprogressive
-
had been ensnaringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ensnare
Explanation
To ensnare something is to trap it. Instead of using snapping mousetraps, you might try to ensnare the mice in your kitchen and set them free outside. While you can use the verb ensnare to talk about literally catching something in a trap, it's also useful for more figurative kinds of traps. Your French teacher might try to ensnare you in becoming more involved in the French club, or rush hour traffic might ensnare you as you rush to make it to work on time. The word combines the prefix en, or "put in," and snare, with its Old Norse root snara, "noose or snare."
Vocabulary lists containing ensnare
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Odyssey
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Surviving Hitler
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Killer whales are highly intelligent apex predators and have been known to play with their prey and deploy sophisticated tactics to ensnare them.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The law is so broad and vague that it could ensnare anyone who maintains databases such as Mr. Webb’s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2025
"They're built to ensnare sharks or fish and they're deadly effective, but sadly completely indiscriminate," says Dean Cropp who, as a cinematographer and ocean explorer, has been documenting these nets for years.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2025
There’s evidence that buckwheat and bush sunflower can take up lead, and saltbush can ensnare arsenic, Fang said, also name-checking corn, squash and cucumber for their ability to sequester contaminants such as dioxins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2025
They swung them like lassos and began to ensnare Typhon, throwing lines around the creature’s legs and arms, using the tide to keep circling, slowly tangling him.
From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan
He introduces the plan and fully ensnares Tóth into the project.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2024
The production, co-created and directed by Moisés Kaufman, throbs with lip-synchable pop hits of such eclectic range that the dance club energy eventually ensnares everybody.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2024
“We start where they get stuck, in the web of rights and responsibilities that ensnares all patients and caregivers.”
From New York Times ● May 10, 2024
It includes cutting red tape that ensnares energy projects, lifting restrictions for on- and offshore-lease sales, and offering support for the industry to promote new investments and production.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 15, 2022
Entriketh: entangles, ensnares; french, "intriguer," to perplex; hence "intricate."
From The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by D. Laing Purves
By the time you get your bearings, you’re ensnared in its net.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
The globe-spanning scandal also ensnared Pras Michel, a rapper in rap trio the Fugees, who was found guilty of helping Low funnel money from 1MDB into US politics.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
He was one of about 200 people ensnared in Operation Catch of the Day, the overwhelming majority of whom had no criminal record.
From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2026
High-yield bonds, issued by companies with what are commonly called “junk” credit ratings, have been caught up in the same selloff that has ensnared other corporate credits this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026
After Stanchion introduced her, she sang an aria in a voice so clear and pure that I forgot my anxiety for a while and was ensnared by her song.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Enforcement is strict, even ensnaring a state biologist a few years ago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
It caused waves in the global car industry, ensnaring several other top carmakers and leading to legal action in several countries.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2025
Victims say soaring scams, weak bank safeguards, and poor recovery expose regulatory gaps in a country where digital banking has outpaced cybercrime checks, ensnaring people across classes.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2025
And much of their speculation not-so-subtly referred to the “Mudbound” star’s apparent silence on the allegations ensnaring Bad Boy Entertainment co-founder Combs and on some problematic rumors swirling this year around Ne-Yo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2024
Thrashing and growling at the net, trying to rip free, Summer was only ensnaring himself worse.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
