Definition

Noun: 1. An organized, intensive search for a person, typically conducted by law enforcement: A manhunt is a large-scale, coordinated effort to find and capture a specific individual, usually someone who is accused of a crime, is dangerous, or has escaped custody.

Usage and Examples

• The police launched a massive manhunt for the escaped prisoner.
• Following the bank robbery, a statewide manhunt was underway for the two suspects.
• The manhunt involved helicopters, canine units, and hundreds of officers.

Advanced Usage

• To be the subject of a manhunt: To be the person who is being searched for.
  • The fugitive was the subject of an international manhunt.
• To be on a manhunt: Describes the state or action of the searchers.
  • Federal agents are on a manhunt for the cybercriminal.

Variants and Related Words

• Manhunter (noun): A person who participates in a manhunt. (This is a less common term, often used in historical or literary contexts).
• Search (noun/verb): A more general term for looking for someone or something.
• Dragnet (noun): A systematic search for criminals, often involving many police officers. Similar to "manhunt" but can imply a broader, less targeted search.

Synonyms

• Pursuit
• Chase
• Search operation
• Dragnet

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning of "manhunt" always involves an organized search for a person. While it is most commonly associated with police searching for a criminal, it can theoretically be used in other contexts (e.g., a search for a lost explorer), though this is rare. The word strongly implies urgency and scale.

Noun

1. an organized search (by police) for a person (charged with a crime)