stop-and-search

adjective

Of or pertaining to laws or policing practices, found in some jurisdictions, which permit a law enforcement officer to temporarily detain and search a member of the public based on the officer's suspicions.

Meanings

adjective

alternative stop-and-frisk · alternative stop and search

  1. governmentOf or pertaining to laws or policing practices, found in some jurisdictions, which permit a law enforcement officer to temporarily detain and search a member of the public based on the officer's suspicions.

    Adding to the department's problems is a long-running controversy over a stop-and-search policy that includes random searches of young black men.

    1990 January 18, Constance L. Hays, “3 Cases Raise Questions on Boston Police Methods”, in New York Times, retrieved 20 Aug 2013
    3 more examples

    The high court renewed its decision to throw out evidence in a 1992 Montgomery County traffic stop-and-search case that uncovered a small amount of marijuana and a methamphetamine pill.

    1997 November 13, Rob Modic, “Motorist Must Know "Free to Go"”, in Dayton Daily News, USA, retrieved 20 Aug 2013

    Both parties support ‘stop and search’ – also known as ‘sus’ laws. Under these laws, the police can stop anyone under ‘reasonable’ suspicion that they could commit a crime.

    2008, Simon Assaf, “London mayor elections: Ken and Boris launch a war on young people”, in Socialist Worker, UK, retrieved 20 Aug 2013

    A U.S. judge has ruled the New York Police Department has violated the rights of tens of thousands of people by intentionally discriminating against racial minorities with its controversial "stop-and-search" policy.

    2013 August 12, “US Court says NYPD ‘Stop-and-Search’ Violates Rights”, in Voice of America, retrieved 20 Aug 2013
nounstop-and-search (plural stops-and-searches or stop-and-searches)

plural stops-and-searches · plural stop-and-searches · alternative stop-and-frisk · alternative stop and search

  1. A police action of this type.

    Read literally, he simply ruled that a cop made a bad collar, a stop-and-search without "reasonable suspicion."

    1996 April 5, "The Baer Truth: It Was A Shameless Judicial Cave-in, New York Daily News (retrieved 20 August 2013)

Synonyms & antonyms

Cite this entry
APA

stop-and-search. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stop-and-search

MLA

“stop-and-search.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stop-and-search. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stop-and-search,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stop-and-search.

Source: stop-and-search on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.