thirst trap

noun

plural thirst traps

: a photograph (such as a selfie) or video shared for the purpose of attracting attention or desire

A thirst trap is always clearly posted or sent for the attention and admiration of one or more people—but is often done coyly …—

Madeline Merinuk

Several of the videos posted by Mr. Ossoff, 35, who has moppy brown hair and boyish good looks, have been interpreted by his fans as thirst traps.—

Anna P. Kambhampaty

also : someone or something that attracts attention or strong desire

Thirst trap Boris Kodjoe spends a lot of time without clothes in the movie, to the delight of his fans. —

Tonya Pendleton

He's not just a thoughtful and empathetic leader, he's also an A+ thirst trap. —

Michael Roos is a long-time DJ, and his house is a thirst trap for music lovers with a colossal collection of vinyl, an adjoined music studio and walls lined with memorabilia. —

Eva Raggio

Examples of thirst trap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And on Stranger Things, Jamie Campbell Bower—who also played a smokin' young version of Harry Potter baddie Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts movies—is definitely bringing thirst trap energy to his portrayal of young Vecna. —

Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 3 July 2024 Don’t be shy about posting a thirst trap on social media; radiate positive comments. —

Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 22 July 2024 Powell officially introduced Brisket to the world in July 2023 and has been sharing loving snaps of him ever since (including posting thirst traps with him on social media). —

Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 20 July 2024 Last week, Powell recruited Brisket for a classic Instagram thirst trap, buried eight photos deep in a dump of pictures of the dog. —

Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2024 And, as any Lord of the Rings fan with a pulse can tell you, Aragorn is the original genre thirst trap. —

Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 3 July 2024 The wedding contest comes on the heels of Bumble’s headline-making Valentine’s Day campaign, which starred actor Barry Keoghan in a series of shirtless thirst traps. —

Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024 But there is a deeper sense of alienation lurking beneath the one-liners and thirst traps; at one point in our chat, Dabice wells up with tears while relaying the specific kind of seclusion touring musicians endure. —

Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2024 Martha Stewart is prepared for anything — including a swim (and the attendant thirst trap) at a moment's notice. —

Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thirst trap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Note: Thirst trap in the above sense appears to be a recycling of the phrase in an earlier sense, "feeling of satiety during exercise after drinking a small amount of liquid without fully rehydrating the body."

First Known Use

2011, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of thirst trap was in 2011

See more words from the same year