noun

trawling

Trawling (noun) means the practice of catching fish by dragging a large net behind a moving boat. Example: “Trawling near the reef has been banned to protect the coral.”

noun

The practice of catching fish by dragging a large net behind a moving boat.

"Trawling near the reef has been banned to protect the coral."

A slow, thorough search through a large amount of material.

"After weeks of trawling through the archives, she found the missing deed."

How to use trawling

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTrawling is dragging a net for fish, or by extension, digging slowly through lots of material looking for something.

Common mistake

Not to be confused with "trolling," which uses lines rather than a dragged net (and, online, means something completely different).

Easily confused with

trolling →

Word forms

trawlings plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ near the reef has been banned to protect the coral.

Rhymes for trawling

bawling crawling brawling sprawling

See all rhymes for trawling →

Frequently asked questions

What does “trawling” mean?

The word “trawling” means the practice of catching fish by dragging a large net behind a moving boat. In plain terms, trawling is dragging a net for fish, or by extension, digging slowly through lots of material looking for something.

How do you use “trawling” in a sentence?

Here is “trawling” used in a sentence: “Trawling near the reef has been banned to protect the coral.”

What part of speech is “trawling”?

“Trawling” is a noun.

How many meanings does “trawling” have?

“Trawling” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the practice of catching fish by dragging a large net behind a moving boat.