scope out

verb

scoped out; scoping out; scopes out

US, informal

: to look at (someone or something) especially in order to get information

They scoped out the area before setting up the tent.

Players were scoping out the competition.

He wants to scope out all of the possibilities before deciding what to do.

Examples of scope out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Swift, who may or may not plan to marry the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end in the same venue come July 3, could have been scoping out her wedding site. —Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026

In a reversal of fortune, oil companies in Colombia, where outgoing president Gustavo Petro has all but barred exploration for the last four years, are scoping out Venezuela. —Andrea Jaramillo, Bloomberg, 9 June 2026

Investigators were seen aboard the small 8-foot vessel, with cadaver dogs nearby as the Coast Guard scoped out the area, according to the outlet. —Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026

An easy place to see all the latest numbers, Earnings & Insights is sortable by company, category and quarter, helping executives keep up with their rivals and investors scope out their next investment. —Evan Clark, Footwear News, 18 May 2026

Rhymes for scope out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout