honey trap

American  

[huhn-ee-trap] / ˈhʌn iˌtræp /

Or honeytrap

noun

1. an investigative technique that tests the fidelity of a spouse or significant other by attempting to lure them into a romantic or sexual liaison.

   The private eye used a classic honey trap to get evidence that her husband was cheating.

2. a scenario in espionage whereby an agent enters into a romantic or sexual relationship with a civilian and seeks to leverage that intimacy to coerce or blackmail the target or to discover secret information.

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Etymology

Origin of honey trap

First recorded in 1970–75; popularized by John le Carré in his novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ( 1974 )

Example Sentences

Whether the women or the Chhabras sprang the honey trap was never clear.

From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026

It starts with a literary honey trap: Vanner’s novel about the Rasks is the sort of faux-Whartonian confection that relies heavily on descriptions of polished wood and unpolished manners: snobbery and snubbery.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2022

"If they made her go against her will, isn't that power harassment? And if she kept going for a year because she was keen on it, then wasn't it a honey trap?"

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2018

Shimmering synths accent “At the Lantern,” a teary-eyed, after-bar reflection on going nowhere, while the stripped-down title track is about poverty cycles and “feeling stuck in this honey trap of the American dream.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 11, 2018

I’m not saying it was a honey trap.

From Salon • May 18, 2013