feeler

noun

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feel·er | \ ˈfē-lər

Definition of feeler

: one that feels: such as

a : a tactile process (such as a tentacle) of an animal

b : something (such as a proposal) ventured to ascertain the views of others

Examples of feeler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The videos taken also capture a previously undocumented and still unexplained action: filament coiling, where the squids draw in their arm filaments (long, thin feeler-like appendages) close to their body. — Rachael Zisk, Popular Science, "The strange and ethereal bigfin squid just showed up off the coast of Australia," 13 Nov. 2020 DeGeare suggests making a pros and cons list before sending that feeler text. — Molly Longman, refinery29.com, "Texting Your Ex Today Would Be Chaotic Evil — But Should You Do It Anyway?," 30 Oct. 2020 The new species are six-gill sawsharks, which have distinctive snouts filled with teeth and catfish-like whiskers or feelers that help them detect prey. — Katie Hunt, CNN, "Two new shark species have been identified and they look like nothing you've seen before," 18 Mar. 2020 Nonetheless, Trump is a great postmodern feeler, who intuits and responds to the stimuli of electronic media with the dark brilliance of an idiot savant, in the sure belief that only suckers care about objective truth. — Troy Patterson, The New Yorker, "A New Book Argues That Trump Is Television in Human Form," 4 Oct. 2019 Begin studying for your real estate license and put out feelers for a place of your own. — Kristen Radtke, The New Yorker, "Your Milk-Preference Horoscope," 7 Feb. 2020 Its wisp of a body appeared to defy gravity, poised upside down on a white slant of newsprint, its back legs bent like reverse elbows, as the other four legs danced and the feelers explored for something to sustain it. — David Rabe, The New Yorker, "Uncle Jim Called," 1 July 2019 Last fall, the airport put out feelers to see if there were any businesses interested in pursuing such projects there. — Annie Zak, Anchorage Daily News, "Two big air cargo projects proposed for Anchorage International Airport," 19 July 2019 Putting out feelers There is one intriguing clue as to why Elektorornis had such long toes: The amber-entombed foot preserves bits of the surrounding skin and feathers, including strands called scutellate scale filaments. — Michael Greshko, National Geographic, "Ancient bird foot found in amber has bizarrely long toes," 11 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'feeler.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.