hunts; hunted; hunting
1
: to chase and kill (wild animals) for food or pleasure
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.
2
: to search for something or someone very carefully and thoroughly
She hunted around in the closet for a pair of shoes.
—often + forThe police are hunting for a killer.
He's hunting for a new apartment.
We went to the mall to hunt for bargains.
Police hunted the escaped prisoners through several states.
(US) We went to the mall to hunt bargains.
plural hunts
1
: an occasion when people hunt wild animals
They went on a hunt.
a bear/fox/pheasant hunt
2
: an act of searching for something or someone
We finally found a good restaurant after a long hunt.
The hunt for the escaped convicts continues. = The hunt is still on for the escaped convicts. = The police are still on the hunt [=are still searching] for the escaped convicts.
3
chiefly British
: a group of people who hunt foxes together
Cite this Entry
“Hunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/hunt. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
