scavenger hunt

American  

noun

1. a game in which individuals or teams are sent out to accumulate, without purchasing, a series of common, outlandish, or humorous objects, the winner being the person or team returning first with all the items.

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scavenger hunt British  

noun

1. a game in which players are required to collect an assortment of miscellaneous items: usually played outdoors

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Etymology

Origin of scavenger hunt

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Compare meaning

How does scavenger-hunt compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• scavenger hunt vs. treasure hunt

Example Sentences

Finding the best pint in a given city has become a digital scavenger hunt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

It’s the reason meal kits feel so soothing — everything ready, nothing frantic, no mid-recipe scavenger hunt for a missing clove of garlic.

From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025

The death file prevents the scavenger hunt that most families have to go on to find stuff.

From Barron's • Nov. 9, 2025

Avery ends up agreeing to the faux-romance in exchange for help on the scavenger hunt.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2025

“Yes, sir. The whole school heard about it. See, Kyle Keeley and his two brothers were playing some sort of wild scavenger hunt game and...”

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein