ferret out
phrasal verb
ferreted out; ferreting out; ferrets out
: to find (something, such as information) by careful searching
He's good at ferreting out the facts.
Examples of ferret out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And the state has just embarked on its DOGE effort to ferret out wasteful spending.
—
Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2025
His first book on the subject was about Aldrich Ames, the Soviet mole inside the C.I.A., who, before finally being ferreted out by the F.B.I., in 1994, handed over the identities of dozens of agency assets.
—Keith Gessen, New Yorker, 16 July 2025
This included investing in new high-speed production processes and ferreting out waste through the Lean Six Sigma method, a corporate philosophy where workers are encouraged to bring up problems.
—Brit Morse, Fortune, 6 July 2025
He’s been inside government, he’s ferreted out … all these examples of grotesque waste, fraud and abuse.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ferret out
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2025
His first book on the subject was about Aldrich Ames, the Soviet mole inside the C.I.A., who, before finally being ferreted out by the F.B.I., in 1994, handed over the identities of dozens of agency assets.
—Keith Gessen, New Yorker, 16 July 2025
This included investing in new high-speed production processes and ferreting out waste through the Lean Six Sigma method, a corporate philosophy where workers are encouraged to bring up problems.
—Brit Morse, Fortune, 6 July 2025
He’s been inside government, he’s ferreted out … all these examples of grotesque waste, fraud and abuse.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ferret out
Cite this Entry
“Ferret out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferret%20out. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share