magnet fishing

noun

: the sport or hobby of using a strong magnet attached to the end of a rope to find metal objects in bodies of water
Magnet fishing uses a strong magnet attached to a thick rope in an attempt to fish out metal objects that have sunk to the bottom of canals, lakes, ponds and rivers.Alisha Ebrahimji
magnet fish intransitive verb
or less commonly magnet-fish
magnet fished also magnet-fished; magnet fishing also magnet-fishing; magnet fishes also magnet-fishes
If Wray was magnet fishing as stated in the story, he would struggle to find much silver. The precious metal is not magnetic so it is not possible for a piece of silver to be attracted to a magnet with enough force to be found as Wray described in the story. Liam Geraghty
Walters says he has magnet-fished several times, pulling in knives, bait weights and other metal. Jon Burkett

Examples of magnet fishing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Treasure Chest Hidden 10 Years Ago and Said to Be Worth Millions Is Finally Found According to Popular Mechanics, magnet fishing enthusiasts use a strong magnet to pull objects from the water. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 4 June 2024 Kane and Agostini picked up magnet fishing as a hobby during the coronavirus pandemic to counter their boredom, Kane told NY1. Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 4 June 2024 According to Popular Mechanics, magnet fishing enthusiasts use a strong magnet to pull objects from the water. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 4 June 2024 Earlier this year, two military projectiles were pulled via magnet fishing from Massachusetts' Charles River, prompting an intervention from authorities to secure the objects. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 4 June 2024 Kane and Agostini became interested in magnet fishing during COVID-19 and bought their first kit in 2023. Jennifer Vilcarino, ABC News, 3 June 2024 The law around keeping guns found while magnet fishing is murky. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 24 Apr. 2024 On April 14, someone uncovered a .22-caliber rifle while magnet fishing on Horse Creek in McRae-Helena, about an 80-mile drive southeast of Macon, investigators said in an April 22 news release. Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2024 Sean Martell, a magnet fishing enthusiast, discovered the first projectile on March 1. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnet fishing was in 1945

Dictionary Entries Near magnet fishing

Cite this Entry

“Magnet fishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnet%20fishing. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

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