snare

¹

[snair]

noun

1. a device, often consisting of a noose, for capturing small game.

2. anything serving to entrap or entangle unawares; trap.

   Synonyms: pitfall, net

3. Surgery.,  a wire noose for removing tumors or the like by the roots or at the base.

verb (used with object)

snared, snaring 

1. to catch with a snare; entangle.

2. to catch or involve by trickery or wile.

   to snare her into going.

snare

²

[snair]

noun

1. one of the strings of gut or of tightly spiraled metal stretched across the skin of a snare drum.

snare

¹

/ snɛə /

noun

1. a device for trapping birds or small animals, esp a flexible loop that is drawn tight around the prey

2. a surgical instrument for removing certain tumours, consisting of a wire loop that may be drawn tight around their base to sever or uproot them

3. anything that traps or entangles someone or something unawares

verb

1. to catch (birds or small animals) with a snare

2. to catch or trap in or as if in a snare; capture by trickery

snare

²

/ snɛə /

noun

1. music a set of gut strings wound with wire fitted against the lower drumhead of a snare drum. They produce a rattling sound when the drum is beaten See snare drum

Other Word Forms

• snareless adjective
• snarer noun
• snaringly adverb
• unsnared adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of snare¹

First recorded before 1100; Middle English (noun and verb); cognate with Old Norse snara, Middle Low German snare, Old High German snar(a)ha

Origin of snare²

1680–90; < Middle Low German snare or Middle Dutch snaer string; replacing Old English snēr string of a musical instrument

Word History and Origins

Origin of snare¹

Old English sneare, from Old Norse snara; related to Old High German snaraha

Origin of snare²

C17: from Middle Dutch snaer or Middle Low German snare string; related to Gothic snōrjō basket

Synonym Study

See trap ¹.

Example Sentences

The script never varies: He vows to snare the bad guys.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“I’m caught in one of his hunting snares!”

Read more on Literature

The warning to Republicans in Tuesday’s election results is that Democrats are turning the tables on affordability, especially when they steer clear of leftist cultural snares.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The scenes include poignant moments as the animals face threats from snare trappings to brutal ambushes and violent territorial battles.

Read more on BBC

He was arrested in October 2023 after being snared by an undercover police officer from the US, who infiltrated an online group used by Plumb called Abduct Lovers.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• corral 
• enmesh 
• entangle 
• pull in 
• round up