Synonyms

scavenger hunt

American

noun

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.

scavenger hunt British

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Scavenger hunt: The owners of a store that specializes in midcentury furniture find most pieces by going door to door.

From New York Times • Jun. 27, 2023

FRI-TUE Scavenger hunt at 22 Ballard businesses through JTuesday for prizes, party and prize awards, 4-6 p.m.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 24, 2014

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023