entrapment

English

Etymology

From entrap +‎ -ment.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɪnˈtɹæpmənt/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Noun

entrapment (countable and uncountable, plural entrapments)

  1. The state of being entrapped.
    The entrapment of the victims in the wreckage made rescue difficult.
    • 2025 July 23, “Network News: Satisfaction levels with assisted travel unchanged... but lift failures increase”, in RAIL, number 1040, page 12:
      Entrapments in lifts were also on the increase, with an 18% increase across the most recent reporting period (2024-2025).
  2. (law) 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.
    • 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:
      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!
  3. (chemistry) A method of isolating specific cells or molecules from a mixture, especially by immobilization on a gel.

Derived terms

Translations

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