search party: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral, used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in news, police, and community communications.
Quick answer
What does “search party” mean?
A group of people organized to look for someone who is missing or something that is lost.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A group of people organized to look for someone who is missing or something that is lost.
A coordinated effort by individuals or a team, often in response to an emergency or crisis, to systematically scour an area to locate a missing person or object.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Terminology for coordinating authorities may differ (e.g., UK: 'Mountain Rescue'; US: 'Search and Rescue (SAR)').
Connotations
Similar connotations of urgency and community/authority involvement in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American media due to more frequent reporting on wilderness disappearances, but the term is common in both.
Grammar
How to Use “search party” in a Sentence
[Verb] + search party (e.g., organise, join, dispatch)[Adjective] + search party (e.g., volunteer, police, large)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “search party” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They decided to search party the moor at first light.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; potentially metaphorical for a team looking for a solution.
Academic
Used in sociology or disaster/emergency management studies.
Everyday
Common in news reports and community discussions about missing persons.
Technical
Used in emergency services, police, and mountain rescue protocols.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “search party”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “search party”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “search party”
- Using 'searching party' (less common but not incorrect). Confusing it with 'search warrant' (a legal document).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is written as two separate words: 'search party'.
Primarily for people, but it can be extended to valuable or critical lost objects (e.g., a search party for a crashed aircraft).
A search party's main goal is to locate. A rescue team's goal is to locate *and* provide immediate aid or extraction. Often, the same group performs both functions (Search and Rescue).
'Search party' is the standard, much more common compound. 'Searching party' is occasionally heard but is non-standard and best avoided in formal writing.
A group of people organized to look for someone who is missing or something that is lost.
Search party is usually neutral, used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in news, police, and community communications. in register.
Search party: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɜːtʃ ˌpɑːti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɜːrtʃ ˌpɑːrti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Turn out a search party (humorous: used when someone is very late, e.g., 'We were about to turn out a search party for you!')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **party** of people, not for celebration, but with a shared mission: to **search**. It's a party with a purpose.
Conceptual Metaphor
A QUEST or MISSION conceptualised as a SOCIAL GATHERING (party).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is a 'search party' MOST likely to be used?