feel for

phrasal verb

felt for; feeling for; feels for
1
: to search for (something) by reaching or touching usually with the fingers
The doctor felt for any possible fractures in the patient's bruised ribs.
He felt for the light switch.
2
: to have sympathy or pity for (someone)
I feel (deeply) for you, but there's nothing I can do to help.

Examples of feel for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Staying at a resort is different from living somewhere full-time, though, so plans to retire in Mexico — or any retirement destination — should include a lengthy stay before a commitment to get a better feel for the place as a home. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2024 As Co-President of our Rocky Mountain region, his feel for the business is a key reason AEG Presents is the dominant promoter in the market and the Denver office is one of our top performers. Thania Garcia, Variety, 13 May 2024 McIlroy, despite the flurry of changes to the course over the past decade, continues to have an unmistakable feel for the layout. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2024 As co-president of our Rocky Mountain region, his feel for the business is a key reason AEG Presents is the dominant promoter in the market and the Denver office is one of our top performers. Dave Brooks, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 But Costanzo also brings the same feel for the precise period detail that made My Brilliant Friend shine. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 To give us a feel for what the punishment was like, Quinn turned off all the lights and played the song on repeat until the crowd sang along. David Wysong, The Enquirer, 22 Apr. 2024 What unites these two specimens, for all their differences, is a feel for domestic confinement, a poignant understanding of home as a place both fragile and stifling. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024 For four years, its array of three satellites will tumble through space in an equilateral triangle some million miles across, bouncing lasers off the golden cubes kept in perfect free fall within each craft to feel for ripples in space-time. Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'feel for.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near feel for

Cite this Entry

“Feel for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feel%20for. Accessed 23 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!