fishing expedition

noun

1

law

a

: an interrogation or examination to discover information for a later proceeding

b

: an inquiry (as by the use of discovery in a lawsuit) that is unnecessarily extensive or unrelated to the issues

2

: an investigation that does not stick to a stated objective but hopes to uncover incriminating or newsworthy evidence

Examples of fishing expedition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Defense lawyers argue the government’s effort amounts to a fishing expedition into privileged legal files and would set a troubling precedent for reviewing old investigative material. —Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025

Continue reading … ENEMIES LIST EXPOSED – GOP senators blast 'fishing expedition' as FBI subpoenas of Republicans come to light. —FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025

Among the first items on the trip’s itinerary list: a deep-sea fishing expedition. —Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

The latest example: Biden’s FBI went on a fishing expedition and subpoenaed the phone records of 9 members of Congress. —Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fishing expedition

• superimposition
• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition

Legal Definition

fishing expedition

noun

fish·​ing ex·​pe·​di·​tion

-ˌek-spə-ˈdi-shən

1

: an inquiry (as by the use of discovery) that is unnecessarily extensive or unrelated to the lawsuit

2

: an investigation that does not stick to a stated objective but hopes to uncover incriminating or newsworthy evidence