fishing expedition

noun

1

: a legal interrogation or examination to discover information for a later proceeding

2

: an investigation that does not stick to a stated objective but hopes to uncover incriminating or newsworthy evidence

Examples of fishing expedition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here’s how to tell Red light camera tickets: Not liable to ID the driver; some are fishing expeditions. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 10 Feb. 2025

Democrats call it a partisan fishing expedition that could expose ordinary people’s sensitive information including government payments. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2025

Otherwise, staff members led by the affable Ben can take guests out 300 feet on the Caicos Bank side, farther afield in the waters surrounding to prime diving and snorkeling spots or to the calm waters at Jerry Camp to kayak alongside stingrays and bonefish—also the prey on fishing expeditions. —Laurie Werner, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025

That's called a fishing expedition, and the treaties don't allow it. —Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

fishing expedition

noun

fish·​ing ex·​pe·​di·​tion

-ˌek-spə-ˈdi-shən

1

: an inquiry (as by the use of discovery) that is unnecessarily extensive or unrelated to the lawsuit

2

: an investigation that does not stick to a stated objective but hopes to uncover incriminating or newsworthy evidence