fish for
phrasal verb
fished for; fishing for; fishes for
: to ask for or try to get (something, such as praise or attention) in an indirect way
I think he offers apologies for his cooking as a way of fishing for compliments.
fishing for answers
Examples of fish for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many anglers start fishing for Spanish mackerel with live shrimp on light spinning rods.
—
Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Vaquitas continued to be caught and unintentionally killed when fishers used these nets to target totoaba fish for their swim bladder—the part of a fish that regulates buoyancy—for sale in Chinese black markets.
—Ryan Green, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2025
Stankoven had plenty of time fish for a rebound and eventually stuff it into the net because other Avs players had gone in the other direction away from their net.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
Those following a pescatarian diet still need to monitor nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B12, and avoid high-mercury fish for safe, balanced eating.
—Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fish for
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Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Vaquitas continued to be caught and unintentionally killed when fishers used these nets to target totoaba fish for their swim bladder—the part of a fish that regulates buoyancy—for sale in Chinese black markets.
—Ryan Green, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2025
Stankoven had plenty of time fish for a rebound and eventually stuff it into the net because other Avs players had gone in the other direction away from their net.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
Those following a pescatarian diet still need to monitor nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B12, and avoid high-mercury fish for safe, balanced eating.
—Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fish for
Cite this Entry
“Fish for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fish%20for. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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