efterlyser

Efterlyser is a Swedish verb meaning to publicly request information or to seek out a person, event, or item. It is commonly used in official or media contexts to indicate that assistance is being sought from the public, typically in order to locate someone, obtain tips, or provide missing information. The verb is frequently encountered in police statements and journalistic reporting, for example when authorities say that they “efterlyser vittnen” (are seeking witnesses) or when a public appeal is issued for information about a missing person or seized item. The related noun is efterlysning, referring to a public appeal or missing-person notice.

Usage and forms: efterlysa is the infinitive; present tense efterlyser; past tense efterlyste; supine efterlyst. It is used with direct objects such as en person (a person), uppgifter (information), or tips. In addition, a person who is wanted can be described as efterlyst (an adjective form), as in “en efterlyst misstänkt” (a wanted suspect).

Contextual notes: While the core sense is to seek information, the term can also appear in broader investigative or journalistic settings, including appeals for witnesses, surveillance footage, or other leads. It is generally neutral and factual, lacking value judgments, and is part of standard lexicon in crime reporting and public notices in Sweden.

See also: efterlysning, försöka få tag i information, sökas (as a synonym in journalistic shorthand).