claptrap

/ˈklæpˌtɹæp/

//ˈklæpˌtɹæp// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"claptrap" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“claptrap” is uncommon English (frequency #73,072 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#73,072
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Empty verbiage or nonsense.

Corpus desk

Index EN-claptrap · claptrap · English

claptrap · rank #73,072 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #73,072
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH clanking

Nearest frequency peer: clanking (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “claptrap”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “claptrap” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for claptrap
PropertyValue
Headwordclaptrap
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈklæpˌtɹæp/
Letters8
Frequency rank#73,072
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “claptrap” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).claptrapfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “clanking” (#73,071), “clamber” (#73,070), “circumflex” (#73,069). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “claptrap” is #73,072. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

claptrap is uncommon English at frequency #73,072 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈklæpˌtɹæp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for claptrap in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Theater slang, c. 1730, from clap + trap, referring to theatrical techniques or gags used to incite applause. The correct English form is claptrap, spelled C-L-A-P-T-R-A-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Empty verbiage or nonsense.
  2. 2
    A device for producing a clapping sound in theaters.
  3. 3
    A device or trick to gain applause; a humbug.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how claptrap appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Klein diagnoses impressively what hasn’t worked. No more claptrap about fracked gas as a bridge to renewables. Enough already of the international summit meetings that produce sirocco-quality hot air, and nonbinding agreements that bind us all to more emissions.
  2. There had been a suggestion that the child should be with her [while she answers the door], but the mother herself had rejected this. "It would be stagey," she had said, "and clap-trap. There is nothing I hate so much as that."

Etymology

Theater slang, c. 1730, from clap + trap, referring to theatrical techniques or gags used to incite applause.

This word in other languages

algarabía(Español)verbiage(Français)Gerede(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "claptrap"?
"claptrap" is spelled C-L-A-P-T-R-A-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈklæpˌtɹæp/.
What does "claptrap" mean?
As a noun, "claptrap" means: Empty verbiage or nonsense.
How do you pronounce "claptrap"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "claptrap" is /ˈklæpˌtɹæp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "claptrap"?
Theater slang, c. 1730, from clap + trap, referring to theatrical techniques or gags used to incite applause. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "claptrap", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

clanking#73,071Clementi#73,075cofactor#73,079Collings#73,080

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list