entrapment
/ɪnˈtɹæpmənt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.84 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
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.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A method of isolating specific cells or molecules from a mixture, especially by immobilization on a gel.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "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.""
- "Entrapments in lifts were also on the increase, with an 18% increase across the most recent reporting period (2024-2025)."
- "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!"
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.