manhunt

noun

man·​hunt ˈman-ˌhənt How to pronounce manhunt (audio)
: an organized and usually intensive hunt for a person and especially for one charged with a crime

Examples of manhunt in a Sentence

After several days of searching, the sheriff called off the manhunt. The FBI launched a manhunt to find the kidnappers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The big question from there was how did authorities not find his body inside the home before launching an extensive, weeklong manhunt, drawing in local, state and federal resources? — Laura Bauer july 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 Joanne Miller is a fictional agent who in the film leads the manhunt for the adult Ted and uses the words in the Unabomber’s manifesto to track him down. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 July 2026 German authorities on Sunday launched an intensive manhunt for Abdul Ballout, a German citizen with Lebanese roots. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026 Police say the attacker ran away, prompting a manhunt by police. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for manhunt

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manhunt was in 1833

Rhymes for manhunt

See All Rhymes for manhunt

Browse Nearby Words

man-hour
manhunt
man hunter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Manhunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manhunt. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

manhunt

noun
man·​hunt -ˌhənt How to pronounce manhunt (audio)
: an organized hunt for a person and especially for one charged with a crime

More from Merriam-Webster on manhunt

Nglish: Translation of manhunt for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All