scope out
phrasal 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
Plenty of Wall Street analysts were there too, scoping out whether this strategy will work.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Though expert hikers can make the round trip in a day, many take up to three, granting extra time to float in swimming holes, scope out waterfalls, and take in the hanging valleys and lush forests pouring into the sea.
—Jacqueline Kehoe, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
Both Harris and Buttigieg are scoping out presidential bids in 2028.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Once a month, Fort Worth Star-Telegram service team reporter Ella Gonzales will scope out the best deals in Fort Worth for under $25.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scope out
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Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Though expert hikers can make the round trip in a day, many take up to three, granting extra time to float in swimming holes, scope out waterfalls, and take in the hanging valleys and lush forests pouring into the sea.
—Jacqueline Kehoe, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
Both Harris and Buttigieg are scoping out presidential bids in 2028.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Once a month, Fort Worth Star-Telegram service team reporter Ella Gonzales will scope out the best deals in Fort Worth for under $25.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scope out
Cite this Entry
“Scope out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scope%20out. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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