dragnet

UK: /ˈdrægnɛt/ US: /ˈdrægˌnɛt/ ,(drag′net′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

drag•net /ˈdrægˌnɛt/   n. [countable]

1. a net to be drawn along the bottom of a stream to catch fish, or along the ground for small game.
2. an interlinked or connected system for finding or catching someone:
   an international dragnet to catch the terrorist.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

drag•net  (drag′net′), n. 

1. a net to be drawn along the bottom of a river, pond, etc., or along the ground, to catch fish, small game, etc.
2. a system or network for finding or catching someone, as a criminal wanted by the police.

• 1535–45; Middle English; see drag, net¹, dray

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dragnet / ˈdræɡˌnɛt/ noun

1. a heavy or weighted net used to scour the bottom of a pond, river, etc, as when searching for something
2. any system of coordinated efforts by police forces to track down wanted persons