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
So, Ladd is doing what most never imagined — fishing for a species no one wanted.
—
Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2025
Yellow Bay, on the eastern shore of Flathead Lake, is known for its wide gravelly beach where locals like to fish for lake trout, water ski, swim, boat, and even camp.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 Apr. 2025
This aggressive predator, known as the vampire fish for its razor-sharp fangs, can reach 20 pounds.
—Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2025
The shutdown of fishing has taken a toll not only on the commercial fishing fleet but also on operators of charter fishing boats who were unable to fish for salmon in 2023 and 2024.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fish for
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Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2025
Yellow Bay, on the eastern shore of Flathead Lake, is known for its wide gravelly beach where locals like to fish for lake trout, water ski, swim, boat, and even camp.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 Apr. 2025
This aggressive predator, known as the vampire fish for its razor-sharp fangs, can reach 20 pounds.
—Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2025
The shutdown of fishing has taken a toll not only on the commercial fishing fleet but also on operators of charter fishing boats who were unable to fish for salmon in 2023 and 2024.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 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 1 May. 2025.
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