ferret
noun
a domesticated, usually red-eyed, and albinic variety of the polecat, used in Europe for driving rabbits and rats from their burrows.
ferreted
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past participleof ferret.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof ferret.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
ferretnouna domesticated, usually red-eyed, and albinic variety of the polecat, used in Europe for driving rabbits and rats from their burrows.
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.
The Agriculture Department ferreted data from 28 states and says it found nearly 186,000 dead recipients.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
He also "ferreted about" in a "deception" to obtain false "dodgy" quotes to help the firm get the lucrative business.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2025
Effective today it is not just a point of contention, it is a sin, to be ferreted out through rumor and whisper, to be punished by reprisals, unstated but ever present.
From Slate ● Jan. 23, 2025
“Good cops want bad cops ferreted out,” Jenkins said in a recent interview.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 20, 2023
Gaheris, hovering round the edge, ferreted far the dirk.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
