# hunted

/ˈhənəd/ (US) · /hˈʌntɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hunted
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. chased for food or sport

verb · CEFR A2

chased or searched for an animal to catch or kill it.

For teachers: the past tense or past participle of 'hunt', referring to the pursuit of wild animals for food, recreation, or population control.

- In the past, people hunted deer in these woods to feed their families.
- The wolves hunted the elk across the frozen tundra for hours before the pack finally closed in for the kill.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice when describing the animal being chased.

### 2. searched for something

verb · CEFR B1

looked very hard for a person or a specific object.

For teachers: the past tense or past participle of 'hunt', used to describe an intensive search for a person, information, or a physical item.

- She hunted through her desk for the missing keys but couldn't find them.
- Detectives hunted for the suspect across three different states before receiving a reliable tip from a local witness.

### 3. being chased

adjective · CEFR B2

describes an animal or person that is currently being followed or searched for.

For teachers: describes the state of being the object of a pursuit or search.

- The hunted fox hid quietly in the bushes until the dogs passed by.
- The fugitive lived the life of a hunted man, never staying in the same city for more than two nights.

### 4. looking nervous or worried

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

looking very worried or scared, like you are expecting something bad to happen.

For teachers: describes a facial expression or demeanour characterised by extreme anxiety, exhaustion, or the fear of being caught.

- He had a hunted look in his eyes as he kept glancing at the door.
- After weeks of living in hiding, the whistleblower appeared on screen with a thin, hunted face that shocked his former colleagues.

## Examples

- The wolves hunted the deer through the deep snow.
- The police hunted the suspect for three days before finding him in a small village.
- Throughout the nineteenth century, several species were hunted to the brink of extinction before conservation laws were finally enacted to protect the remaining populations.

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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.