feel out

Idioms

Try cautiously or indirectly to ascertain someone's viewpoint or the nature of something. For example, We'd better feel out the author before we commit him to a publicity tour. This term alludes to physical groping. [Late 1800s] Also see take the pulse of.

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.

We ended up going “Purple” just because it just feels a little bit more intriguing, a little more vague, a little poetic and kind of let the audience feel out what this is.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

"At different phases of the day it can feel quite placid, you can feel out of the game with the ball and things can turn around," said Root.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2025

The discussion didn’t feel out of the ordinary for longtime listeners of “New Heights.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025

Aside from virality, he also thinks features like “listener counts” feel out of place.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025

“Yesterday. You said I wasn’t the 1st freak to feel out of place at school.”

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

feel out

Example Sentences

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