dragnet

American  

[drag-net] / ˈdrægˌnɛt /

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.

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dragnet British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of dragnet

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

Example Sentences

As they rifled through books and handcuffed Mr. Jin, 56, a police dragnet fell across the country, rounding up other leaders in the church’s network.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.”

From 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.

From 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.

From 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.

From Los Angeles Times