feel for
Idioms-
Grope, reach for with one's hands, as in It was pitch dark, and I felt for the doorknob . [Early 1700s]
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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.
"He has been robbed. I really feel for him."
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
Concerning the case of PC Harper, he said: "I feel for the family it's an appalling crime that was committed."
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
“She can be sort of mean, and we don’t like her in the beginning. As the series grows, you really feel for her. That’s so hard to pull off, and she does it in spades.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
“I just have a natural feel for what people want,” Parton said in an interview.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
I take my time following for the introductions, getting a feel for the house before making my way through the crowd.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
Definitions 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.
