track down

British  

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to find by tracking or pursuing

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track down Idioms  

1. Follow successfully, locate, as in I've been trying to track down that book but haven't had any luck. This term alludes to the literal use of track, “follow the footsteps of.” [Second half of 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

track down

Our reporting follows the extraordinary steps some victims took to track down their money—and the new fight they faced after the U.S. government seized $225 million in crypto linked to an alleged scam operation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Vehicles that hide from number plate recognition cameras are harder for police to track down when they are stolen or linked to crimes.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

LeMaire says it and Paul Mazursky’s 1986 comedy “Down and Out in Beverly Hills,” another Brooks selection, lack readily available digital restorations, making suitable screening materials harder to track down.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

"In essence, we have built a light-driven nanorobot that can track down and collect bacteria," says Jin Qin, lead experimental scientist of the study.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026

The press had learned that Gerhardt was somewhere in Germany—and that Bobby was in the country—and they were trying to track down the father so they could interview his famous son.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady