witch hunt

noun

1

: a searching out for persecution of persons accused of witchcraft

2

: the searching out and deliberate harassment of those (such as political opponents) with unpopular views

witch-hunter

ˈwich-ˌhən-tər 

noun

witch-hunting

ˈwich-ˌhən-tiŋ 

noun or adjective

Examples of witch hunt in a Sentence

He was the victim of a congressional witch hunt against Communists.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time. —Stacey Dec, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2025

The witch hunt against him could continue unabated until the internet found a new target. —Kelsey McKinney, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2025

This is not, as Adams has claimed and as the allegations reflect, a political witch hunt. —Nick Akerman, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2025

The military’s biggest extremism problem is mostly related to radical right-wing ideology, and Austin has faced pressure and blowback from GOP congressional lawmakers who have called the effort a political witch hunt. —Brad Dress, The Hill, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

witch-hunt

noun

-ˌhənt

1

: a searching out and persecution of persons accused of witchcraft

2

: the searching out and deliberate harassment of those (as political opponents) with unpopular views