trapdoor

noun

trap·​door ˈtrap-ˈdȯr How to pronounce trapdoor (audio)
: a lifting or sliding door covering an opening (as in a roof, ceiling, or floor)

Examples of trapdoor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Martin, 47, spoke to the crowd in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday while walking backward on stage, seeming not to notice a trapdoor was open. Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024 The Coldplay frontman, 47, fell through a trapdoor in the stage while performing during the final Melbourne, Australia date of the band's Music of the Spheres tour on Sunday, November 3. David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024 As always, Bong Joon-ho knows just how to lead his audience down one path, only to open a trapdoor into another. Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 29 Oct. 2024 Footage shared on social media showed Olivia Rodrigo, 21, falling through a trapdoor while performing on her Guts World Tour in Melbourne, Australia. Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for trapdoor 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trapdoor was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near trapdoor

Cite this Entry

“Trapdoor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trapdoor. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

trapdoor

noun
trap·​door ˈtrap-ˈdō(ə)r How to pronounce trapdoor (audio)
-ˈdȯ(ə)r
: a lifting or sliding door covering or hiding an opening in a roof, ceiling, or floor

More from Merriam-Webster on trapdoor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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