scavenger hunt

American  

noun

• scavenger hunts
  plural

1. 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

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

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• scavenger hunts
  plural

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

See Examples For:

scavenger hunt

There was a tour of the foundry and museum, and a murder-mystery scavenger hunt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Finding the best pint in a given city has become a digital scavenger hunt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

It’s the reason meal kits feel so soothing — everything ready, nothing frantic, no mid-recipe scavenger hunt for a missing clove of garlic.

From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2025

Mamdani’s scavenger hunt didn’t play a big role in his eventual election to the mayorship in October; it probably didn’t even play a small one.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025

It’s not the first time Dad has sent us on a summer scavenger hunt of the city, but usually it’s a little more thought out.

From "Watch Us Rise" by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan