- (in historical use) the investigation, trial, and punishment of alleged practitioners of witchcraft.
- an intensive inquiry, originally or purportedly to discover and expose dishonesty, subversion, or other wrongdoing, the scope and conclusions of which often include and bring harm to innocent persons or their reputations through reliance on hearsay or circumstantial evidence.
- to subject to a witch hunt:The defendant claimed he was being witch-hunted due to his political activism.
- a rigorous campaign to round up or expose dissenters on the pretext of safeguarding the welfare of the public
