Dictionary

entrapment en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈtɹæpmənt/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English entrap Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-mentom Latin -mentum Old French -mentbor. Middle English -ment English -ment English entrapment From entrap + -ment.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The state of being entrapped.
   • Entrapments in lifts were also on the increase, with an 18% increase across the most recent reporting period (2024-2025). 2025 July 23, “Network News: Satisfaction levels with assisted travel unchanged... but lift failures increase”, in RAIL, number 1040, page 12:
   • The entrapment of the victims in the wreckage made rescue difficult.
   • Bowen talked of the entrapment of parenting, the anxiety that makes some women feel they are never free again: "We're forever waiting for the other shoe to drop, all the while trying to have a life." 1988 February 14, Louise Rice, “Confronting The Mythology Of Motherhood”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 30, page 7:
2. (countable, uncountable) Action by law enforcement personnel to lead an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime, in order to arrest and prosecute that person for the crime.
   • A detective asking you to buy illegal marijuana for a dying man would be police entrapment.
   • That’s right, Thailand actually has a buffoonish crown prince. And I understand why the Thai people are upset, because they have a law where you can get 15 years in jail for insulting the monarchy, and yet, they have a prince who featured in, and this is true, a video of a birthday party he threw for his dog, a miniature poodle called Foo Foo, in which his topless wife served the dog birthday cake. And you’re telling me they’re not supposed to make fun of that? That’s entrapment! That’s not fair! You asked too much! 2014, Tim Carvell [et al.], “Dr. Oz and Nutritional Supplements”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 1, episode 8, John Oliver (actor), Warner Bros. Television, via HBO:
3. (countable, uncountable) A method of isolating specific cells or molecules from a mixture, especially by immobilization on a gel.

Forms

Deriveds

grain entrapment

Translations (17)

fi ansan virittäminen (action by law enforcement personnel to lead an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime) · ru провока́ция (action by law enforcement personnel to lead an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime) · ru захва́т (state of being entrapped) · fr séquestration (method of isolating cells or molecules) · cmn 警察誘捕 /警察诱捕 (action by law enforcement personnel to lead an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime) · cmn 包埋 (method of isolating cells or molecules) · ko 포집 (method of isolating cells or molecules) · fr provocation (action by law enforcement personnel to lead an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime) · cmn 誘捕 /诱捕 (state of being entrapped) · ru захва́т (method of isolating cells or molecules) · fr emprisonnement (state of being entrapped) · fr séquestration (state of being entrapped) · cmn 困 (state of being entrapped) · sv brottsprovokation (action by law enforcement personnel to lead an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime) · fi loukkuun jääminen (state of being entrapped) · ru лову́шка (action by law enforcement personnel to lead an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime) · fi vangitseminen (method of isolating cells or molecules)