find

verb

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\ ˈfīnd

found\ ˈfau̇nd

\; finding

Definition of find

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to come upon often accidentally : encounter found a $10 bill on the ground

b : to meet with (a particular reception) hoped to find favor

2a : to come upon by searching or effort must find a suitable person for the job

b : to discover by study or experiment find an answer

c : to obtain by effort or management find the time to study

d : attain, reach the bullet found its mark

3a : to discover by the intellect or the feelings : experience find much pleasure in your company

b : to perceive (oneself) to be in a certain place or condition found himself in prison awaiting deportation found himself on the verge of bankruptcy

c : to gain or regain the use or power of trying to find his tongue

d : to bring (oneself) to a realization of one's powers or of one's proper sphere of activity must help the student to find himself as an individual— N. M. Pusey

4a : provide, supply

b : to furnish (room and board) especially as a condition of employment he was chopping by day's work—75 cents a day—and found himself— Herman Melville

5 : to determine and make a statement about find a verdict found her guilty

intransitive verb

: to determine a case judicially by a verdict find for the defendant

find fault

: to criticize unfavorably

find

noun

Definition of find (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act or instance of finding

2 : something found: such as

a : a valuable discovery an archaeological find

b : a person whose ability proves to be unexpectedly good

Other Words from find Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about find

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Examples of find in a Sentence

Verb He found a dollar on the ground. The well diggers found a number of Native American artifacts. After an hour of searching, I finally found my glasses. We need to find a suitable person for the job. She found the answer at last. They claim to have found a more efficient way to run the business. researchers trying to find a cure for cancer You must find time to do it. I found a way to pay for college without taking out any loans. She found the courage to address the crowd. Noun That antique she bought at the flea market was a real find. That new secretary of yours is a real find!

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Texas will also strip the name of segregationist Robert L. Moore from a building and find ways to honor Heman Sweatt, whose 1950 court case cleared the way for Black students to attend the school. — Fox News, "University says 'Eyes of Texas' will remain school song despite Black athletes' protest," 14 July 2020 With the unpredictable shutdowns and reopening of salons due to COVID-19, hair stylists have been struggling to find ways to survive and safely provide services for their clients. — Ryan Nickerson, Houston Chronicle, "Houston hair stylist creates solution to ‘COVID hair’," 13 July 2020 Before finalizing plans, Silberman and her husband, Matthew, who’ve been together for 11 years, find a happy middle ground and always travel within their means. — Patrice J. Williams, Travel + Leisure, "9 Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Romantic Couples' Trip," 12 July 2020 After China imposed a restrictive national security law on Hong Kong, tech companies find themselves at a crossroads. — Brian Barrett, Wired, "Security News This Week: 15 Billion Stolen Logins Are Circulating on the Dark Web," 11 July 2020 Professors and universities find creative solutions to keep international students from getting deported By Michal Lev-Ram (Some of these stories require a subscription to access. — Aaron Pressman, Fortune, "Now this is 5G worth paying for," 10 July 2020 June 19: Authorities find skeletal remains in a field in Killeen, Texas. — USA Today, "Ten weeks: A timeline of the search for Vanessa Guillen," 10 July 2020 Starr and Agan find that statistical discrimination is the most likely answer to this outcome. — Dan Kopf, Quartz, "What is statistical discrimination?," 10 July 2020 Travelers often find themselves without enough ports, never mind the security provided by a surge protector. — Popular Science, "Affordable surge protectors for your home office," 6 July 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The home sits on an 80-foot-wide lot, and Messer said that this is a rare find in the area. — Dallas News, "Peek inside the eclectic Highland Park home of Flea Style founder Brittany Cobb," 10 July 2020 Project co-leader and study co-author Lovasoa Ranivoharimanana said the find shows how increasingly important Madagascar has become to archaeologists over the years, given the number of ancient fossils found on the African island. — Fox News, "Scientists discover diminutive dinosaur ancestor: a 4-inch 'tiny bug slayer'," 8 July 2020 Some scientists see clues in the mines themselves that might hint at a ritual or spiritual side of the find. — National Geographic, "11,000-year-old mine in underwater cave surprises archaeologists," 3 July 2020 Experts say the find is only the beginning of discoveries possible in the caves of the Yucatan. — Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, "Divers uncover mysteries of earliest inhabitants of Americas deep inside Yucatan caves," 4 July 2020 While Drake studies his unusual find, Mason slides into another wartime flashback. — EW.com, "Perry Mason recap: Haunted by wartime horrors, Mason makes a gruesome discovery," 29 June 2020 The find was so impressive even Tanzania’s president, John Magufuli, gave Laizer a congratulatory phone call. — Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, "'Big party tomorrow': Miner becomes instant millionaire after discovering record-breaking gems," 25 June 2020 The find also makes the site the largest prehistoric structure in Britain and possibly in Europe, according to Vincent Gaffney, of the University of Bradford, an archeologist involved in the analysis. — Megan Specia, BostonGlobe.com, "Neolithic site near Stonehenge yields an ‘astonishing discovery’," 22 June 2020 The find gives us new insight into the last phase of the Stone Age and the beginning of agriculture and settled village life in the area. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Incestuous kings may have built Ireland’s Newgrange Passage tomb," 19 June 2020

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

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Last Updated

30 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Find.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/find. Accessed 8 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for find

find

verb

English Language Learners Definition of find

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to discover (something or someone) without planning or trying to : to discover (something or someone) by chance

: to get or discover (something or someone that you are looking for)

: to discover or learn (something) by studying about it

find

noun

English Language Learners Definition of find (Entry 2 of 2)

: something or someone that has been found especially : a valuable person or thing that has been found or discovered

See the full definition for find in the English Language Learners Dictionary

find

verb

\ ˈfīnd

found\ ˈfau̇nd \; finding

Kids Definition of find

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to come upon by chance He found a dime.

2 : to come upon or get by searching, study, or effort She finally found the answer. I found some free time.

3 : to make a decision about The jury found her guilty.

4 : to know by experience I find this Web site useful.

5 : to gain or regain the use of I found my voice again.

6 : to become aware of being in a place, condition, or activity Omri found himself wondering … where his magnifying glass was.— Lynne Reid Banks, The Indian in the Cupboard

find fault

: to criticize in an unfavorable way

find out

: to learn by studying, watching, or searching I found out the secret.

find

noun

Kids Definition of find (Entry 2 of 2)

: a usually valuable item or person found

find

verb

found; finding