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.
"I can only imagine the depth of your pain. As King of this nation, I feel for each and every one of you," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
To get a better feel for a community, hang around after checking out the home you are considering.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
You have to feel for the pair of Canadians, as they gave it their all.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
The author adds: “Which of our senior strategic leaders are experimenting, getting hands on, developing a fingertip feel for this new warfighting tech?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
I shuffled forward to feel for hollows in the dark.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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.
