Witch-hunt Definition

witchhunt, witch-hunts
noun
An investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover disloyalty, subversive political activity, etc., usually conducted with much publicity and often relying upon inconclusive evidence and capitalizing on public fear of unpopular opinions.
Webster's New World

Alternative form of witch-hunt.

Wiktionary

(historical) A search for witches, persons believed to be using sorcery or harmful magic, in order to persecute and typically kill them.

Wiktionary

An attempt to find and publicly punish a group of people perceived as a threat, usually on ideological or political grounds.

Wiktionary

A public smear-campaign against an individual.

Wiktionary
other
Wiktionary
The verbal noun witch-hunting in the literal sense from 1640, the metaphorical sense from 1932, popularized during the Cold War anti-Communist hysteria in the USA.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Witch-hunt

Noun

Singular:
witch-hunt
Plural:
witch-hunts, witchhunts

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witch-hunt