shop around
Britishverb
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to visit a number of shops or stores to compare goods and prices
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to consider a number of possibilities before making a choice
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Look for the best bargain, opportunity, or the like, as in This job offers only minimum wage so she decided to shop around for one with better pay . This expression alludes to looking in different stores in search of bargains or a particular item. [c. 1920]
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Look for a buyer for, offer for sale to various parties, as in The company is now being actively shopped around . [Second half of 1900s]
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.
Shop around for home or auto insurance to get the best deal.
From MarketWatch
The Conservative politician called on the government to create a price comparison website for heating oil so consumers could shop around.
From BBC
She added that the government last month launched a scheme to provide motorists with real‑time data on forecourt prices, which would help them "shop around".
From BBC
As ever, the advice for consumers is to shop around.
From BBC
They had previously arranged their trips abroad through a travel agent, but having planned to return to the country for eight years, Dinesh decided to instead shop around online for a cheaper deal.
From BBC
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.
