dragnet

[drag-net]

noun

1. a net to be drawn along the bottom of a river, pond, etc., or along the ground, to catch fish, small game, etc.

2. a system or network for finding or catching someone, as a criminal wanted by the police.

dragnet

/ ˈdræɡˌnɛt /

noun

1. a heavy or weighted net used to scour the bottom of a pond, river, etc, as when searching for something

2. any system of coordinated efforts by police forces to track down wanted persons

Word History and Origins

Origin of dragnet¹

Middle English word dating back to 1535–45; drag, net ¹, dray

Example Sentences

Immigration rights advocates said the court should not uphold “an extraordinarily expansive dragnet, placing millions of law-abiding people at imminent risk of detention by federal agents.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At least two American citizens were caught up in the dragnet — a security guard headed to work at Glass House and a philosophy professor at Cal State Channel Islands who was protesting the raid.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday night accused President Trump of intentionally fanning the flames of the Los Angeles protests and “pulling a military dragnet across” the city endangering peaceful protesters and targeting hardworking immigrant families.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Border Patrol was conducting an indiscriminate dragnet in the area, pulling over vehicles presumed to be carrying immigrants to work and taking dozens into custody.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s hard for them to imagine how a dragnet of that size could pause to consider the merits of individual cases.

Read more on Los Angeles Times