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track down

British  

verb

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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]


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.

But as the executor of Dad’s estate, I’ve spent a surprising amount of time trying to track down his refund for 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal

Council members were hesitant to believe that a projected tax income increase of $70 million in its first year was realistic, especially when collecting from unlicensed businesses that are hard to track down.

From Los Angeles Times

“I can assure you there is no database that’s tracking down citizens,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Savannah Guthrie on Monday released the latest video appeal for public help in tracking down her ailing mother, who suffers from heart problems and needs regular medication.

From Barron's

He was tracked down by Venezuela's security forces and detained in May 2025.

From BBC