Hunt — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈhənt/

Meaning & Definition of Hunt

Hunt (verb)

  1. to pursue for food or in sport
  2. to manage in the search for game
  3. to pursue with intent to capture

Hunt (noun)

  1. the act, the practice, or an instance of hunting
  2. a group of mounted hunters and their hunting dogs

Hunt (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an act or process of looking carefully or thoroughly for someone or something

    "soon the whole family was involved in the hunt for Mom's car keys"

    similar: quest, search
    related: shakedown, sweep, chase, pursuit, recon, reconnaissance, scout, canvass, survey, exploration, probe, forage

Hunt (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to seek out (game) for food or sport

    "Native Americans of the plains hunted buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter"

    similar: chase, stalk
    related: capture, drag, net, snare, trap, dog, ferret, hawk, hound, course, pursue, run, run down, spoor, track, trail, gun (for), harpoon, kill, shoot, poach, cull

  2. to go in search of

    "I spent all afternoon hunting a job for the summer"

    similar: cast about (for), cast around (for), chase (down), forage (for), look up, pursue, quest, search (for or out), seek, shop (for), look for
    related: ferret (out), root (out)
    near: hide, lose, ignore, neglect

  3. to go into or range over for purposes of discovery

    "a bag lady hunts the neighborhood for returnable bottles"

    similar: explore, probe, prospect, search, skirr
    related: reconnoiter, scout, disclose, discover, reveal, unearth, fathom, plumb, sound

Related Entry: Hunt (down or up) (verb)

Hunt (down or up) is a different word from Hunt. The synonyms below are for hunt (down or up), not for hunt.

  1. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "managed to hunt down his ancestors, who arrived back to the 16th century"

    similar: ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), learn, locate, nose out, root (out), rout (out), rummage, run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down), turn up
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

Related Entry: Hunt (through) (verb)

Hunt (through) is a different word from Hunt. The synonyms below are for hunt (through), not for hunt.

  1. to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something

    "she hunted through old birth and marriage records to trace the family tree"

    similar: comb, dig (through), dredge, rake, ransack, rifle, rummage, scour, search, sort (through), troll
    related: frisk, pat down, shake down, audit, check (out), examine, inspect, investigate, review, scan, scrutinize, survey, ascertain, descry, detect, determine, discover, ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), learn, locate, run down, scare up, track (down), grub (about), poke (around), explore, probe, prospect, skirmish, snoop, browse, glance (over), look over, peruse, study
    near: hide, abandon, lose, ignore, neglect

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Hunt

The most common words with a similar meaning to Hunt:

quest, search, chase, stalk, cast about (for), cast around (for), chase (down), forage (for), look up, pursue, search (for or out), seek, shop (for), explore, probe, prospect, skirr, look for

Related Words for Hunt

shakedown, sweep, pursuit, recon, reconnaissance, scout, canvass, survey, exploration, forage, capture, drag, net, snare, trap, dog, ferret, hawk, hound, course, run, run down, spoor, track, trail, gun (for), harpoon, kill, shoot, poach

Near Antonyms of Hunt

hide, lose, ignore, neglect

Word Forms of Hunt

Inflections: hunted, hunting, hunts

Origin & Etymology of Hunt

Middle English, from Old English huntian; akin to Old English hentan to seize

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Hunt

hunt-and-peck, hunt down, hunt out, hunt up, scavenger hunt

Frequently Asked Questions about Hunt

What does "Hunt" mean?

"Hunt" means to pursue for food or in sport. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to pursue for food or in sport. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Hunt"?

Other words for "Hunt" include quest, search, chase, stalk, cast about (for), cast around (for), chase (down) and forage (for). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Hunt" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Hunt"?

There are 59 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Hunt". Common alternatives include quest, search, chase, stalk, cast about (for), cast around (for), chase (down), forage (for), look up and pursue.

How do you use "Hunt" in a sentence?

Examples of "Hunt" in a sentence: "soon the whole family was involved in the hunt for Mom's car keys"; "Native Americans of the plains hunted buffalo for food, clothing, and shelter"; "I spent all afternoon hunting a job for the summer".

Is "Hunt" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Hunt" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Hunt"?

"Hunt" is pronounced /ˈhənt/.

What is the origin of the word "Hunt"?

"Hunt" comes from Middle English, from Old English huntian; akin to Old English hentan to seize. First known use: before 12th centuryt.

What is another word for "Hunt" meaning "an act or process of looking carefully or thoroughly for someone or something"?

When "Hunt" (noun) means an act or process of looking carefully or thoroughly for someone or something, synonyms include quest and search.