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
The study suggests that in the future, testing fish for freshness might become as simple as pressing a small device onto its surface and waiting a minute.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025
Ortiz was out fishing for red snapper that July day with Figured It Out Charters.
—Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 3 Dec. 2025
Until the season opens, fishing for rock crab is Tin's best option.
—Kenny Choi, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025
For anglers, fishing for tigerfish in the river is particularly excellent in October.
—Elizabeth Gordon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fish for
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Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025
Ortiz was out fishing for red snapper that July day with Figured It Out Charters.
—Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 3 Dec. 2025
Until the season opens, fishing for rock crab is Tin's best option.
—Kenny Choi, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025
For anglers, fishing for tigerfish in the river is particularly excellent in October.
—Elizabeth Gordon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 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 8 Dec. 2025.
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