fishing expedition: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal (esp. legal/business); occasionally informal as metaphor.
Quick answer
What does “fishing expedition” mean?
An investigation or inquiry conducted without clear evidence or probable cause, hoping to discover some useful or incriminating information.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An investigation or inquiry conducted without clear evidence or probable cause, hoping to discover some useful or incriminating information.
Any speculative, unfocused search or activity undertaken without a clear plan or goal, hoping to find something of value by chance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Identical in core legal meaning. In metaphorical use, slightly more common in American English.
Connotations
Strongly negative in legal contexts (unethical, harassing). In business/politics, implies wastefulness or opportunism.
Frequency
High frequency in legal English in both varieties; medium frequency in business/political journalism; low in everyday conversation.
Grammar
How to Use “fishing expedition” in a Sentence
[Subject] accused [Object] of a fishing expedition.The [Investigation/Request] is a fishing expedition.to go on/conduct/launch a fishing expeditionVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fishing expedition” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The solicitor was accused of fishing for a defence.
American English
- The prosecutor is just fishing for a charge that will stick.
adjective
British English
- The tribunal rejected the fishing-expedition approach.
American English
- They made a fishing-expedition request for all emails.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Criticising a competitor's broad market research or a regulator's overly wide data request.
Academic
Describing flawed research methodology that lacks a clear hypothesis.
Everyday
Metaphor for a disorganised shopping trip or aimless internet search.
Technical
Legal term of art criticising pre-trial discovery requests lacking specific justification.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fishing expedition”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fishing expedition”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fishing expedition”
- Using it positively (e.g., 'We need a fishing expedition' is self-critical). Confusing with a literal fishing trip. Using as a verb (rare: 'to fish for evidence' is better).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost never. It is a critical term implying waste, inefficiency, or unfairness.
Yes, as a metaphor in business, journalism, and academia to criticise any broad, speculative search for information.
A 'fishing expedition' is speculative, hoping to find *any* evidence. A 'witch hunt' implies a *predetermined target* and a motive of persecution.
Not standardly. The noun is fixed. You 'go on a fishing expedition' or 'are accused of a fishing expedition'. The related verb is 'to fish for' information.
An investigation or inquiry conducted without clear evidence or probable cause, hoping to discover some useful or incriminating information.
Fishing expedition is usually formal (esp. legal/business); occasionally informal as metaphor. in register.
Fishing expedition: in British English it is pronounced ˈfɪʃɪŋ ˌek.spəˈdɪʃ.ən, and in American English it is pronounced ˈfɪʃ.ɪŋ ˌek.spəˈdɪʃ.ən. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's a fishing expedition, not a proper audit.”
- “They're just fishing.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a detective (Fisher) randomly dragging a net (expedition) through a lake, hoping to catch any fish (evidence), without knowing what crime was committed.
Conceptual Metaphor
INVESTIGATION IS FISHING / SEARCHING IS HUNTING
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'fishing expedition' MOST likely used negatively?