hunt

1 of 2

verb

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 homesJ. 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

Example Sentences

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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
James hunted mismatches and attacked them with consistent force. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023 Launched in December, the Lunar Flashlight was supposed to hunt for ice in the shadowed craters of the lunar south pole. Marcia Dunn, ajc, 12 May 2023 But these sharks do venture into deep, chilly water to hunt. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 11 May 2023 Which breeds have won at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Terriers were originally bred to hunt vermin, but now stalk best in show medals at Westminster. Jim Sergent, USA TODAY, 9 May 2023 Is a large, hairy beast with pointy teeth and sharp claws hunting you for its dinner? The Arizona Republic, 6 May 2023 The geologists were hunting for major deposits of the minerals needed to power a clean-energy future. Josh Goldman, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Apr. 2023 Since carnivorous plants cannot move to hunt for their prey like a lion or a shark, smells can help them not only find food, but communicate with other plants. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2023 Ski resorts abound, as well as hunting trails, with superb fishing grounds. John Mariani, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2023
Noun
The episodes also breathed well and did not get bogged down in too many advantages and idol hunts. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 18 May 2023 As graduation season approaches, young people are bracing themselves for the usual job hunt that awaits them on the other side of commencement ceremonies. Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 17 May 2023 Advertisement Officials in Hopewell Township have told residents to stay on the hunt for other fragments. Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 12 May 2023 Others have come with me on my hunts for the past decade or more. Nancy Jo Adams, Popular Mechanics, 11 May 2023 That sets off an obsessive hunt when Dellrayne appears to vanish into thin air off the top of a tall building after using some kind of mind control on Rourke’s law enforcement colleagues. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023 But in 2019, the state expanded the boundaries of the swan hunt, and increased the quota by 750 permits. Andrew Mckean, Outdoor Life, 10 May 2023 Clues about extremism emerge in hunt for motive While the assailant’s motive remains unclear, authorities are investigating whether he was driven by extremist ideologies, a law enforcement source told CNN. Holly Yan, CNN, 9 May 2023 Because dove hunting is primarily a pass-shooting hunt, a 28-inch barrel helps the gun to swing smoothly. Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 4 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hunt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hunt was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hunt

Cite this Entry

“Hunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunt. Accessed 31 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

hunt

1 of 2 verb
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)

(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 How to pronounce Hunt (audio) 1827–1910 English painter

More from Merriam-Webster on hunt

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