witch-hunt

A search for people believed to be using sorcery or harmful magic, typically in order to persecute or punish them.

To-night ye will see. It is the great witch-hunt, and many will be smelt out as wizards and slain.

Simpkins told us that before the days of English witch hunts, the coven organised public and popular festivities such as on the great days of May Eve, Hallowe'en, Candlemas and Lammas. These were called Witches' Sabbats or Frolics.

An attempt to find and punish or harass a group of people perceived as a threat, usually on ideological or political grounds.

Rank-and-file Communists everywhere are led away on a senseless witch-hunt after 'Trotskyists'.

A public or political campaign or investigation which smears a person or group.

Even fewer people could believe that the UNCW administration would actually undertake a witch hunt against me, even going so far as to invoke their right to read my personal e-mails because they were on the university's system.

I defended myself vigorously on that complaint as well; also mentioning that Julie Ann Wilks had always disliked me and had been conducting “a witch hunt” against me. As soon as I said the words “witch hunt” Katy interrupted and wouldn't let me continue […]

To perform a witch-hunt.