dragnet
noun
drag·net
ˈdrag-ˌnet 
1
a
: a net drawn along the bottom of a body of water
b
: a net used on the ground (as to capture small game)
2
: a network of measures for apprehension (as of criminals)
Examples of dragnet in a Sentence
Nine suspects were caught in the police dragnet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Last month, ProPublica detailed how Americans have been caught in the administration’s dragnet.
—
Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2025
Image Some of the Hamptons’ wealthier residents have begun raising money for lawyers to help immigrants avoid an ICE dragnet.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Numerous private companies and trusts set up by wealthy individuals for all sorts of reasons, many perfectly legitimate, would be caught in the dragnet of punitive withholding.
—Alex Raskolnikov, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2025
The social media arm of the dragnet was run by a lanky, bearded teenager named Himanshu Sharma, who sat cross-legged, a cushion resting between his back and the wall.
—Mohammad Ali, WIRED, 14 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for dragnet
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Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2025
Image Some of the Hamptons’ wealthier residents have begun raising money for lawyers to help immigrants avoid an ICE dragnet.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Numerous private companies and trusts set up by wealthy individuals for all sorts of reasons, many perfectly legitimate, would be caught in the dragnet of punitive withholding.
—Alex Raskolnikov, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2025
The social media arm of the dragnet was run by a lanky, bearded teenager named Himanshu Sharma, who sat cross-legged, a cushion resting between his back and the wall.
—Mohammad Ali, WIRED, 14 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for dragnet
Cite this Entry
“Dragnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dragnet. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dragnet
noun
drag·net
ˈdrag-ˌnet
1
: a net dragged along the bottom of a body of water
2
: a series of planned actions for catching a criminal
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