What does manhunt mean?
A manhunt is an organized and sustained search for a person, most often a suspect or fugitive wanted by police. The word combines the older elements “man” and “hunt,” making its focus especially clear: the missing individual is the object of a search, while the searchers are usually authorities or other determined pursuers. In news reporting, a manhunt suggests urgency, an active escape, and a search that may cover a wide area. It can also describe a determined effort to locate someone who is hiding or avoiding contact, and may be used figuratively in contexts such as political or financial scandals. Although the expression can refer to any organized search for a person, its strongest and most conventional association is with criminal investigations. In British and American English, the term is widely understood and generally neutral in tone when used factually, though headlines may employ it for dramatic emphasis.
nounA concerted search for a person, especially one wanted by the police or suspected of a serious crime. The term can also refer more generally to an intense pursuit of someone who has gone into hiding or is deliberately avoided.
- An organized search by police or other authorities for a person who has fled or is wanted in connection with a crime.
- A sustained or intense search for a person who is deliberately hiding or difficult to find.
"Police launched a nationwide manhunt after the suspect fled the country."
"The manhunt for the missing teenager continued through the night."
"The fugitive was eventually captured after a months-long manhunt across three states."
The plural is used when referring to multiple separate searches or pursuits.
"The cases led to manhunts across several parts of the country."
A manhunt turns the entire landscape into a search zone, with the fugitive at the center and every available clue drawing the hunt closer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does manhunt come from?
“Manhunt” is a compound formed within English from “man” and “hunt.” Both elements are old: “man” continues Old English “mann,” while “hunt” is related to Old English “huntian,” associated with pursuing or seeking game. The compound became established in the 19th century in the sense of a vigorous or organized pursuit of a person, later extending especially to police searches for wanted individuals. The verb “hunt,” together with derivatives such as “huntsman” and “huntress,” preserves the older hunting sense of the shared element.
Related word forms
How manhunt is actually used
The expression is primarily journalistic and law-enforcement terminology. It often carries a sense of urgency and large-scale pursuit, and can be used figuratively for a persistent search.