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
During a visit to France in November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took time off from diplomacy to thank a group of French fishermen who are collecting old nets from deep-sea vessels fishing for tuna and other species.
—
Tim Lister, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
The crew is shown working in dangerous weather conditions for hours on end, spending as many as 10 days at sea on one trip fishing for haddock, lobster and flounder.
—Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
That mindset stuck with me right up until my trip deep into the Sécure River, a remote jungle river in Bolivia, to photograph and fish for golden dorado in October 2012.
—Will Rice, Outside, 27 Jan. 2026
Guests fish for invasive tilapia in the natural lagoon, and the resort takes the fish (which are disruptive to the local habitat) to the rehab center for the seals to eat.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fish for
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Tim Lister, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
The crew is shown working in dangerous weather conditions for hours on end, spending as many as 10 days at sea on one trip fishing for haddock, lobster and flounder.
—Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
That mindset stuck with me right up until my trip deep into the Sécure River, a remote jungle river in Bolivia, to photograph and fish for golden dorado in October 2012.
—Will Rice, Outside, 27 Jan. 2026
Guests fish for invasive tilapia in the natural lagoon, and the resort takes the fish (which are disruptive to the local habitat) to the rehab center for the seals to eat.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 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 2 Feb. 2026.
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