fall into a trap

UK/fɔːl ɪntə ə træp/US/fɑːl ɪntə ə træp/

verb

To make a mistake, a bad decision or act senselessly and get into an extremely difficult situation.

“He fell into a trap by believing his childhood friend and giving away all of his savings.”

Similar
walk into a trapfall for
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbfall into a trap (third-person singular simple present falls into a trap, present participle falling into a trap, simple past fell into a trap, past participle fallen into a trap)

present singular third person falls into a trap · participle present falling into a trap · past fell into a trap · participle past fallen into a trap

  1. idiomaticintransitiveTo make a mistake, a bad decision or act senselessly and get into an extremely difficult situation.

    If you are not careful, you can fall into a trap of focusing too much on getting more loans instead of paying off other bills.

  2. idiomaticintransitiveTo be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank.

    He fell into a trap by believing his childhood friend and giving away all of his savings.

    Synonyms: walk into a trap, fall for

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank.

Similar
walk into a trapfall for

Translations

Bulgarian обърквам, оплесквам
  • обърквам (obărkvam)To make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation
  • оплесквам (opleskvam)To make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation
Finnish mokata, möhliä
  • mokataTo make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation
  • möhliäTo make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation
German in eine Falle geraten, in eine Falle gehen
  • in eine Falle geratenTo be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank
  • in eine Falle gehenTo be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank
Hungarian csapdába esik
  • csapdába esikTo be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank
Russian сесть в лужу, попасть впросак
  • сесть в лужу (sestʹ v lužu)To make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation
  • попасть впросак (popastʹ vprosak)To make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation
  • попасть в ловушку (popastʹ v lovušku)To be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank
  • попасться на удочку (popastʹsja na udočku)To be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank
Swedish göra en tabbe, tabba
  • göra en tabbeTo make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation
  • tabbaTo make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation
Cite this entry
APA

fall into a trap. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20into%20a%20trap

MLA

“fall into a trap.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20into%20a%20trap. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fall into a trap,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20into%20a%20trap.

Source: fall into a trap on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.