ensnare

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪnˈsnɛr/ UK /ɪnˈsnɛə/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to catch in or as if in a trap

The scheme was designed to ensnare unwary investors.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to catch in or as if in a trap entrap trap snare catch entangle enmesh lure

Opposites

free release liberate extricate

Word family

Derived forms ensnarementensnarer

Related forms snare snarl

Etymology

From en- (causative) + snare, from Old English sneare or Old Norse snara ('noose, snare'), from Proto-Germanic *snarhō.

snara Old Norse *snarhō Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

# ensnare

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** ɪnˈsnɛr
**IPA (UK):** ɪnˈsnɛə

## Meanings
1. to catch in or as if in a trap

## Examples
- The scheme was designed to ensnare unwary investors.

## Synonyms
- entrap
- trap
- snare
- catch
- entangle
- enmesh
- lure

## Antonyms
- free
- release
- liberate
- extricate

## Derived Forms
- ensnarement
- ensnarer

## Related Forms
- snare
- snarl

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: snara
- Root: *snarhō

## Etymology
From en- (causative) + snare, from Old English sneare or Old Norse snara ('noose, snare'), from Proto-Germanic *snarhō.

## AI Etymology
Ensnare comes from en- (causative) + snare, from Old English sneare or Old Norse snara ('noose, snare'), from Proto-Germanic *snarhō. The historical trail runs through Old Norse snara and Proto-Germanic *snarhō. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means to catch in or as if in a trap. Derived formations include ensnarement, ensnarer; related forms include snare, snarl.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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ensnare

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