dragnet
Americannoun
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a net to be drawn along the bottom of a river, pond, etc., or along the ground, to catch fish, small game, etc.
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a system or network for finding or catching someone, as a criminal wanted by the police.
noun
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a heavy or weighted net used to scour the bottom of a pond, river, etc, as when searching for something
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any system of coordinated efforts by police forces to track down wanted persons
Etymology
Origin of dragnet
Middle English word dating back to 1535–45; see origin at drag, net 1, dray
Explanation
If you suddenly start noticing police officers around every corner, you might be watching a dragnet in progress. A dragnet is a coordinated attempt to catch a criminal. Dragnet originally referred to a kind of net for catching fish. It can now also indicate a less literal type of net: one that catches crooks. Police may use a dragnet if they know a wanted criminal is in a certain neighborhood. When cops set up a dragnet, they may call in extra officers, fence off areas from civilians, and arm themselves heavily. This word became famous because of the TV show Dragnet, which featured Sergeant Joe Friday.
Vocabulary lists containing dragnet
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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.
Federal agents claimed public safety by conducting dragnet stops.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Many caught in the dragnet were later declared innocent.
From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026
Plus, home security cameras enter their dragnet era and a Stanford student’s matchmaking algorithm takes over campus.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026
Both men were assigned to Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement dragnet launched in December that sent scores of armed and masked agents across the city.
From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026
He’d had a conversation with Guitar some time ago about the dragnet.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
