# heffalump trap

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/heffalump-trap
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A situation where an attempt to trap or outwit someone ends up backfiring on the original schemer.

## Examples

- He fell into his own heffalump trap.
- The manager tried to trick his rival, but it became a heffalump trap when the boss found out.
- By engineering an elaborate scheme to discredit his colleague, the ambitious politician inadvertently constructed a heffalump trap that ultimately ruined his own career.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.