sound out
phrasal verb
sounded out; sounding out; sounds out
: to try to find out the opinions of someone by asking questions
They sounded me out on the idea.
polls that sound out public opinion
Cite this Entry
“Sound out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sound%20out. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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