trapped

Meanings

1. 1adjectiveafter a verb

   Stuck in a place or position and unable to leave or move free.

   Grammar: Often follows be, feel or remain: they were trapped inside.

   Patterns

   • trapped in something
   • trapped under something

   Three hikers were trapped in the cave by the rising water.

   The cat was trapped under the fallen shelf.

   Passengers stayed trapped on the train for hours.

2. 2adjectivecomparablefigurative

   Feeling unable to change a bad situation, relationship or way of life.

   Grammar: Often used figuratively with in: trapped in a dead-end job.

   Patterns

   • trapped in something
   • feel trapped

   She felt trapped in a job she had outgrown.

   He was trapped in a cycle of debt.

   Many people feel trapped by their routines.

3. 3adjectivebefore a nountechnical

   Held in a space and unable to escape, said of heat, gas, water or similar substances.

   Grammar: Appears before a noun in technical or science writing: trapped heat.

   Patterns

   • trapped air
   • trapped heat

   Trapped heat makes the attic unbearable in summer.

   Pockets of trapped gas can build up underground.

   Trapped air in the pipes caused a loud banging.

Common combinations

feel trapped

I felt trapped in the small town.

trapped inside

Several workers were trapped inside the lift.

trapped in a cycle

They felt trapped in a cycle of arguments.

trapped like a rat

With both exits blocked, he felt trapped like a rat.

trapped under

A child was trapped under the rubble.

trapped heat

Dark roofs absorb and release trapped heat.

Synonyms and how they differ

stuck

Stuck is more casual and can mean a mere inconvenience, while trapped suggests danger or no way out.

cornered

Cornered suggests being chased and forced into a position with no escape, so it carries a sense of threat.

confined

Confined stresses being kept within limits, often on purpose, while trapped is usually unwanted and accidental.

stranded

Stranded describes being left somewhere with no means to get away, such as without transport.

Opposites

Word family

trap verb

to catch someone or something so it cannot escape

trap noun

a device or situation that catches

trapper noun

a person who catches animals in traps

entrapment noun

the act of tricking someone into a crime or situation

Commonly confused: trapped or trapt?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “trapped”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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