entrapment
word
Definition
Entrapment is when someone is tricked or persuaded to commit a crime by someone (usually a law enforcement officer) so that they can be arrested. The word can also be used in a general way to mean being trapped in a situation.
Usage & Nuances
Most often used in legal or police contexts for when someone is set up to commit a crime they would not otherwise have committed. In law, 'entrapment' may be a defense. It can be metaphorical for being trapped in difficult non-criminal situations. Not common in daily conversation; more formal and legal.
Example Sentences
Sometimes, people use 'entrapment' to describe feeling stuck at work or in a bad relationship.
natural
Her confession was thrown out of court due to evidence of entrapment.
natural
The lawyer argued that the police officer's actions were entrapment.
basic
Entrapment is illegal in many countries.
basic
He claimed he only committed the crime because of entrapment.
basic
There are strict laws to prevent police entrapment during investigations.
natural