find

1 of 2

verb

found ˈfau̇nd How to pronounce find (audio) ; finding

transitive verb

1
a
: to come upon often accidentally : encounter
found a $10 bill on the ground
b
: to meet with (a particular reception)
hoped to find favor
2
a
: 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
3
a
: 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 individualN. M. Pusey
4
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 himselfHerman 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
findable adjective

find

2 of 2

noun

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
Phrases
find fault
: to criticize unfavorably

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
But with the Trumps, Musk also may have found a sense of family that has eluded him in certain ways. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 The researchers found that replacing any less active behavior with five minutes of exercise could lower systolic blood pressure by 0.68 points and diastolic blood pressure by 0.54 points. Linda Carroll, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
But that’s exactly what makes this Southern home, known as the Goodwill Estate, a rare find. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024 These limited-edition bottles showcase some of Buffalo Trace’s best barrels, aged to perfection and released in small quantities, making each one a coveted find. Emily Price, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for find 

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English findan; akin to Old High German findan to find, Latin pont-, pons bridge, Greek pontos sea, Sanskrit patha way, course

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of find was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near find

Cite this Entry

“Find.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/find. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

find

1 of 2 verb
found ˈfau̇nd How to pronounce find (audio) ; finding
1
: to meet with someone or something by chance
found a dime
2
: to come upon by searching, study, or effort
finally found the answer
3
: to obtain by effort or management
find time to do it
4
: to make a decision
find a verdict
5
: to know by experience
people found it useful
6
: to gain or regain the use of
found my voice again

find

2 of 2 noun
: something found
especially : a valuable item found

Legal Definition

find

verb
found; finding

transitive verb

1
: to come upon accidentally or through effort
found a valuable antique in the old desk
found a buyer for the property
2
: to make a judicial determination regarding
found the testimony not credible
found the defendant guilty
compare decide, hold

intransitive verb

: to make a judicial determination
the jury found in favor of the plaintiff

More from Merriam-Webster on find

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!