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

That failure trapped the 12-story building in an undetected, slow-motion domino effect that ultimately claimed 98 lives, concluding something that many engineers had long suspected.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

However, when neurons are subjected to mechanical stress while squeezing through tight spaces, the enzyme can become trapped midway through the process, leaving sections of DNA broken.

From Science Daily • Jun. 21, 2026

South Wales Police said officers were called at about 12:50 BST on Thursday to Pontyclun train station after reports that two women had become trapped.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026

No matter how trapped you feel in your circumstance, remember: Things could always get worse.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

Jonah realized he was practically trapped in the bathroom stall.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

• captured
• cornered