hunt

1 of 2

verb

ˈhənt 

hunted; hunting; hunts

transitive verb

1

a

: to pursue for food or in sport

hunt buffalo

b

: to manage in the search for game

hunts a pack of dogs

2

a

: to pursue with intent to capture

hunted the escapees

b

: to search out : seek

3

: to drive or chase especially by harrying

Members … were hunted from their homes …

—J. T. Adams

4

: to traverse in search of prey

hunts the woods

intransitive verb

1

: to take part in a hunt

2

: to attempt to find something

3

: to oscillate alternately to each side (as of a neutral point) or to run alternately faster and slower

—used especially of a device or machine

hunt

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act, the practice, or an instance of hunting

2

: a group of mounted hunters and their hunting dogs

Synonyms of hunt

Verb

• chase
• stalk

Noun

• search

Examples of hunt in a Sentence

Verb

The wolf was hunting its prey.

These birds have been hunted almost to extinction.

a gun used for hunting squirrels

He likes to hunt and fish.

She hunted around in the closet for a pair of shoes.

Police hunted the escaped prisoners through several states.

Noun

They went on a hunt.

We finally found a good restaurant after a long hunt.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The milestone, reached just three decades after the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the first planet orbiting a sunlike star in 1995, is largely the result of the planet-hunting power of NASA's Kepler space telescope and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Dec. 2025

Bryce Huff, Keion White, Clelin Ferrell, Sam Okuayinonu and Yetur Gross-Matos all are hunting for their first playoff sack. —Cam Inman, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025

Noun

The Sharks are two points behind Utah and Los Angeles for a wild-card spot and have been lurking in the playoff hunt for months, a vast improvement over finishing last in the league each of the last two seasons. —Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025

The multi-state hunt for Melodee Buzzard, a missing 9-year-old California girl, came to a close when her remains were discovered in a rural area of southern Utah, authorities announced Tuesday. —Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English huntian; akin to Old English hentan to seize

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hunt

• head hunt
• hunt-and-peck
• hunt down
• hunt out
• hunt up
• in the hunt
• on the hunt
• scavenger hunt
• still hunt
• treasure hunt
• witch hunt

Rhymes for hunt

• blunt
• brunt
• bunt
• front
• grunt
• shunt
• stunt
• affront
• confront
• exeunt
• forefront
• lakefront

Kids Definition

hunt

1 of 2 verb

ˈhənt 

1

a

: to seek out and chase (game) for food or sport

hunt squirrel

b

: to use in hunting game

hunts a pack of dogs

2

a

: to chase in order to capture

b

: to search out : look for : seek

hunting for my gloves

3

: to drive or chase especially by repeated attacks

hunt a criminal out of town

4

: to search through looking for prey

hunts the woods

hunt

2 of 2 noun

1

: the action, the practice, or an instance of hunting

2

: a group of hunters

especially : a group of hunters on horseback and their hunting dogs

Biographical Definition

Hunt 1 of 3

biographical name (1)

ˈhənt 

(James Henry) Leigh 1784–1859 English writer

Hunt

2 of 3

biographical name (2)

Sir R(ichard) Timothy 1943–     British molecular biologist

Hunt

3 of 3

biographical name (3)

(William) Hol*man ˈhōl-mən  1827–1910 English painter