forage

American  

[fawr-ij, for-] / ˈfɔr ɪdʒ, ˈfɒr- /

noun

1. food for horses or cattle; fodder; provender.

2. the seeking or obtaining of such food.

3. the act of searching for provisions of any kind.

4. a raid.

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verb (used without object)

foraged, foraging

1. to wander or go in search of provisions.

2. to search about; seek; rummage; hunt.

   He went foraging in the attic for old mementos.

3. to make a raid.

verb (used with object)

foraged, foraging

1. to collect forage from; strip of supplies; plunder.

   to forage the countryside.

2. to supply with forage.

3. to obtain by foraging.

forage British  

/ ˈfɒrɪdʒ /

noun

1. food for horses or cattle, esp hay or straw

2. the act of searching for food or provisions

3. military a raid or incursion

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verb

1. to search (the countryside or a town) for food, provisions, etc

2. (intr) military to carry out a raid

3. (tr) to obtain by searching about

4. (tr) to give food or other provisions to

5. (tr) to feed (cattle or horses) with such food

Related Words

See feed.

Other Word Forms

• forager noun
• unforaged adjective

Etymology

Origin of forage

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Old French fourrage, derivative of fuerre fodder (from Germanic )

Explanation

To forage is to wander around looking for food. When it’s cold and snowy outside, birds may forage for food in your backyard, digging around for whatever they can find. The verb forage often describes animals searching for food, but it can also be applied to people. In those circumstances it retains the slightly desperate sense of coming up with whatever is available. For example, if you want to cook dinner but have no time to go to the grocery store, you might forage your refrigerator and cabinets to find good substitutes for ingredients in your recipe.

Example Sentences

It enabled our ancestors to forage for food and water during the hottest period of the day, with sweat to keep them from overheating.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

The researchers suggest that management practices such as providing supplemental water, placing hives in shaded areas, improving hive design and insulation, and ensuring access to high quality forage may become increasingly critical.

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2026

Saudi Arabia has banned the domestic farming of alfalfa and other forage crops because the country’s groundwater has been depleted.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

The drovers would forage along the way, picking berries, acorns and gleaning corn for the birds to eat.

From BBC • Dec. 24, 2025

There is no regular economic specialization, except by age and sex: all able-bodied individuals forage for food.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• comb
• rummage
• scour
• scrounge