dragnet
noun
drag·net
ˈdrag-ˌnet 
1
a
: a net drawn along the bottom of a body of water
b
: a net used on the ground (as to capture small game)
2
: a network of measures for apprehension (as of criminals)
Examples of dragnet in a Sentence
Nine suspects were caught in the police dragnet.
Recent Examples on the Web
The arrest of Mangione on Monday came as dogs and divers returned to New York’s Central Park while the dragnet for Thompson’s killer stretched into a sixth day.
—
Cedar Attanasio and Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Mass deportations would create shortages and raise prices in industries that employ large numbers of immigrants who lack permanent legal status (plus workers legally here who might be caught up in the dragnets), including agriculture, meatpacking and construction.
—Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 29 Nov. 2024
In recent years, a number of Western democracies have been roiled by controversies in which spyware has been used, apparently by defense and intelligence agencies, to target opposition politicians, journalists, and apolitical civilians caught up in Orwellian surveillance dragnets.
—Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
Among those removed were not just undocumented workers, but also American citizens caught up in a racist dragnet.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dragnet 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cedar Attanasio and Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Mass deportations would create shortages and raise prices in industries that employ large numbers of immigrants who lack permanent legal status (plus workers legally here who might be caught up in the dragnets), including agriculture, meatpacking and construction.
—Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 29 Nov. 2024
In recent years, a number of Western democracies have been roiled by controversies in which spyware has been used, apparently by defense and intelligence agencies, to target opposition politicians, journalists, and apolitical civilians caught up in Orwellian surveillance dragnets.
—Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
Among those removed were not just undocumented workers, but also American citizens caught up in a racist dragnet.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dragnet
Dictionary Entries Near dragnet
Cite this Entry
“Dragnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dragnet. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dragnet
noun
drag·net
ˈdrag-ˌnet
1
: a net dragged along the bottom of a body of water
2
: a series of planned actions for catching a criminal
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share