trawl: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1neutral to formal, with specific technical use in marine contexts.
Quick answer
What does “trawl” mean?
To fish by dragging a wide-mouthed net along the sea bottom.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To fish by dragging a wide-mouthed net along the sea bottom.
To search through something carefully, thoroughly, or in a systematic but often indiscriminate way.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use 'trawl' similarly. Minor spelling differences in derivatives (e.g., trawler). The extended meaning of 'searching' is equally common in both.
Connotations
Neutral in technical/fishing contexts. In extended use, can imply a laborious, unspecific, or overly broad search.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English due to greater prominence of fishing industry historically, but difference is minimal.
Grammar
How to Use “trawl” in a Sentence
[Verb] trawl through [NP] for [NP][Verb] trawl [NP] (e.g., databases, archives)[Verb] trawl for [NP] (e.g., evidence, recruits)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “trawl” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The detective decided to trawl through the CCTV footage from the entire week.
- Fishermen are not permitted to trawl in this marine conservation zone.
American English
- The journalist spent hours trawling the internet for background on the story.
- The ship will trawl for shrimp along the continental shelf.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form. Use 'by trawling'.
American English
- No standard adverbial form. Use 'by trawling'.
adjective
British English
- The trawl fishery is subject to strict quotas.
- They reviewed the trawl survey data.
American English
- The trawl catch was mostly cod and haddock.
- Trawl nets must meet specific size regulations.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'We need to trawl the market for potential acquisition targets.'
Academic
The researcher trawled through centuries of parish records.
Everyday
I had to trawl through my emails to find the booking confirmation.
Technical
The vessel will trawl at depths of up to 800 metres for demersal species.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “trawl”
- Incorrect: 'I trawled the answer quickly.' (Implies slow, thorough search)
- Confusing 'trawl' with 'troll' (internet slang).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its origin and literal meaning relate to fishing with a net, its most common contemporary use is metaphorical, meaning to search through large amounts of data or information thoroughly.
'Scroll' refers to moving text or content up/down on a screen, often quickly. 'Trawl' implies a purposeful, thorough, and often slow search through material to find something specific.
Yes. It can refer to the fishing net itself ('a shrimp trawl'), the act of trawling, or the results of a search ('a trawl of the database produced three leads').
Both are correct. 'Trawl through' is often used when the object of search is lengthy or dense (e.g., documents, lists). 'Trawl' alone is common with direct objects like 'the internet' or 'databases'.
To fish by dragging a wide-mouthed net along the sea bottom.
Trawl is usually neutral to formal, with specific technical use in marine contexts. in register.
Trawl: in British English it is pronounced /trɔːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /trɔːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A trawl of (the archives/net) - a systematic search of.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TRAWLer net: it TRAwLs the sea, just as you TRAwl the web, catching everything broadly.
Conceptual Metaphor
SEARCHING IS FISHING WITH A NET (e.g., 'trawling for data', 'a net gain of information').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the literal meaning of 'trawl' MOST likely used?