witch-hunt

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

witch-hunt noun

1. a rigorous campaign to round up or expose dissenters on the pretext of safeguarding the welfare of the public

ˈwitch-ˌhunting noun , adjective

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ˈwitch ˌhunt, n. [countable]

1. an intense, often highly public effort to discover and expose someone who is thought to be disloyal or subversive usually on the basis of slight or doubtful evidence.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

witch′ hunt′, 

1. an intensive effort to discover and expose disloyalty, subversion, dishonesty, or the like, usually based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence.

Also, witch′-hunt′. 

• 1925–30

witch′ hunt′er. 
witch′-hunt′ing, n. 

witch-hunt  (wich′hunt′), v.t. 

1. to subject to a witch hunt.

• 1925–30