Trapped

Trapped is the past participle form of trap, a verb meaning to catch, confine, or restrain something or someone. In English, trapped is commonly used as an adjective to describe a person, animal, or object that has been confined or prevented from moving or escaping.

In a physical or mechanical sense, someone or something may be trapped by constraints such as walls, a vehicle, or a device designed to restrain movement. Traps are devices intended to catch animals or objects; a person may be described as trapped when they cannot break free from such confinement, whether by design, accident, or circumstance.

Trapped also appears in legal and psychological contexts. In law, entrapment refers to a process where law enforcement induces or facilitates criminal activity; a defendant may invoke entrapment as a defense if they believe they were unlawfully drawn into committing a crime. Psychologically, a sense of being trapped can arise from perceived lack of options, coercive relationships, or restrictive environments, contributing to stress or decision paralysis.

In science and technology, 'trapped' is used to describe particles confined by fields or surfaces, such as trapped ions in quantum experiments or magnetic traps in plasma physics. In computing, a trap can refer to a deliberate interrupt or exception; a program that experiences a trap is described as being trapped by the system. The word also appears as a title in various works, including films and songs, reflecting themes of confinement or escape.