fish for
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
Federal fishery managers voted Sunday to open waters off the coast of California to commercial salmon fishing for the first time since 2022, with the population rebounding after wet winters ended a long drought.
—
CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
For those who prefer a quieter pace, stop along the river to fish for bass, walleye or sturgeon.
—Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Meadows had been working on the Aleutian Lady, one of the vessels filmed for the long-running show, fishing for crabs on the Bering Sea.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Many people around the world depend on fishes or products made from fishes for their food and economic livelihood.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fish for
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
For those who prefer a quieter pace, stop along the river to fish for bass, walleye or sturgeon.
—Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Meadows had been working on the Aleutian Lady, one of the vessels filmed for the long-running show, fishing for crabs on the Bering Sea.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Many people around the world depend on fishes or products made from fishes for their food and economic livelihood.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
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 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
