feel for

phrasal verb

felt for; feeling for; feels for

: 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.

: 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 May their lights forever shine as their impact continues to be felt for generations. —

Rivea Ruff, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024 The loss of this bridge, beyond the tragic loss of life, is going to be felt for many months if not years. —

CBS News, 28 Mar. 2024 Dragon Racer’s Rally will give you a feel for the high-flying skills needed to be a Dragon Rider. —

Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024 Once selected, the artists will get a tour of their particular park and have time to get a feel for its unique features. —

Beth Lipoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The full effect of the ACA wouldn't be felt for eight to nine years after Barack Obama was elected in 2008. —

Jonathan Dash, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The state is now drying out, but impacts from a second season of extreme rainfall could be felt for years to come. —

Liz Kreutz, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 Colson is a strong run defender who possesses a great feel for coverage. —

Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024 Chastain spoke to Dorrance, the UNC coach, to get a feel for who the youngster would be as a professional player. —

Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 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.