dragnet
/ˈdræɡˌnɛt/
noun
- A systematic search by police or authorities to catch a criminal or find someone.
- The police set up a dragnet to capture the escaped prisoner.
- The dragnet covered every neighborhood in the city.
- A nationwide dragnet was launched to find the missing child.
- A net that is dragged through water or along the ground to catch fish or animals.
- A dragnet is effective for catching bottom-dwelling species.
- The fishermen used a dragnet to haul in a large catch of salmon.
- They spread the dragnet across the river to trap the fish.