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.
You should also shop around and make sure that the company you choose is offering the most competitive price.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026
But it could prove controversial as wind farm operators would be able to shop around between countries to sell power to the highest bidder - potentially driving up electricity prices when supply is tight.
From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026
The government will now introduce the power to set minimum standards in the English Devolution Bill, with the aim of reducing the incentive to "shop around" for licences, the committee heard.
From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026
Working for a bank allowed her to get a good rate without having to shop around with different lenders.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 14, 2026
It just feels good to shop around and pretend.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
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.
