scrounge around

1. Forage about in an effort to obtain something at no cost, as in We scrounged around their kitchen looking for a snack. It derives from the dialectal scrunge, “steal.” [Colloquial; c. 1900]

Example Sentences

He is barely 34, has never had a real job, was elected five years ago to the state assembly, which is a badge you wear while you scrounge around for attention and connections.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“It was absolutely horrendous. We were really struggling, having to scrounge around for masks and gloves,“ says Mandi Masters, a community midwife from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

Read more on BBC

Scrounge around their injured list, pick up Gavin Lux.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Then, maybe I’ll hit the Tompkins Square Greenmarket and scrounge around for things I need to get for Ethel.

Read more on New York Times

A year ago, I was able to get a year-old iPad Pro for hundreds of dollars off its launch price at Best Buy; when I was looking for a similar deal this summer, the big box stores came up empty, and I had to scrounge around eBay until I could find something for a price I was willing to pay.

Read more on The Verge

Related Words

• laze 
• loiter 
• mosey 
• procrastinate 
• saunter