feel for
Idioms-
Grope, reach for with one's hands, as in It was pitch dark, and I felt for the doorknob . [Early 1700s]
-
feel for someone . Sympathize with or feel sorry for someone, as in Tom was so upset that I felt for him . This usage was put as feel with by Shakespeare: “It resounds as if it felt with Scotland” ( Macbeth , 4:3). Both senses of feel for are present in the somewhat sarcastic I feel for you but I can't quite reach you , meaning “Too bad, but I don't really feel sorry for you.”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Did you get a feel for Nashville as a town while you were there?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
"I was sure it was over. I feel for Oliver, he had an incredible weekend. I don't know what to say."
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
“We’ll get an MRI tomorrow and have a real good feel for it, and give you more information from there.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
And, although Vaughan said it is an "awful look for the England team once again", he would "feel" for Carse if he is made an example of following the other events of the past year.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
I had a natural feel for the beats in the music—could easily sync my movements to the rhythm—but that wasn’t enough.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
