# snipe hunt

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/snipe-hunt
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A prank in which a gullible victim is sent off on a fruitless search for a nonexistent item.

## Examples

- The campers sent the new kid on a silly snipe hunt.
- We realized it was a snipe hunt when we spent hours looking for an animal that does not exist.
- The senior staff orchestrated an elaborate snipe hunt, sending the unsuspecting intern into the woods to capture a creature that was merely a figment of their imagination.

## Origin

From *snipe* + *hunt*. Although snipe exist as a family of birds, the term describes a quest for an imaginary creature of varying description.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.