by feel
idiom
1
: by feeling with one's hands when one cannot see
It was too dark too see anything, so she had to find the door knob by feel.
2
: by being guided by physical feelings, the senses, etc., instead of by rules or directions
an athlete who plays by feel
Examples of by feel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
María de Lourdes Ortiz Zacarías swiftly cuts hundreds of strips of newsprint and colored crepe paper needed to make a piñata, soothed by Norteño music on the radio while measuring pieces by feel.
—
Fabiola Sánchez, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Dec. 2023
Rangers boss Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker of the Astros offer experience, calm and have mastered managing the game by feel.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Oct. 2023
Nissan unfortunately went all-in on haptic-touch buttons on the dash and the console, meaning nothing can be operated by feel—and the driver-attention monitor is quick to scold those whose eyes are diverted from the road.
—Joe Lorio, Car and Driver, 27 May 2023
Progression run workouts are best run by feel or perceived effort, but they can also be gauged by heart rate or actual pace.
—Outside Online, 22 Mar. 2021
That said, never stick to a schedule, and always go by feel.
—Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 7 June 2023
That’s quite a pace range, which is just another reason why learning to run steady runs by feel is important.
—Jeff Gaudette, Outside Online, 8 Apr. 2021
Settling on a rotation in March won’t preclude him from changes during April’s playoffs; Lue coaches by feel, and Minnesota coach Chris Finch called the Clippers’ ability to theoretically plug in an out-of-rotation veteran as a postseason adjustment a unique advantage.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023
Outdated ultrasound devices left doctors at some hospitals in that part of the country to feed tubes into patients’ arteries by feel alone.
—Christopher Weaver, WSJ, 5 May 2022
Fabiola Sánchez, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Dec. 2023
Rangers boss Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker of the Astros offer experience, calm and have mastered managing the game by feel.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Oct. 2023
Nissan unfortunately went all-in on haptic-touch buttons on the dash and the console, meaning nothing can be operated by feel—and the driver-attention monitor is quick to scold those whose eyes are diverted from the road.
—Joe Lorio, Car and Driver, 27 May 2023
Progression run workouts are best run by feel or perceived effort, but they can also be gauged by heart rate or actual pace.
—Outside Online, 22 Mar. 2021
That said, never stick to a schedule, and always go by feel.
—Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 7 June 2023
That’s quite a pace range, which is just another reason why learning to run steady runs by feel is important.
—Jeff Gaudette, Outside Online, 8 Apr. 2021
Settling on a rotation in March won’t preclude him from changes during April’s playoffs; Lue coaches by feel, and Minnesota coach Chris Finch called the Clippers’ ability to theoretically plug in an out-of-rotation veteran as a postseason adjustment a unique advantage.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023
Outdated ultrasound devices left doctors at some hospitals in that part of the country to feed tubes into patients’ arteries by feel alone.
—Christopher Weaver, WSJ, 5 May 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'by feel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near by feel
Cite this Entry
“By feel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20feel. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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