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: âIt resounds as if it felt with Scotlandâ ( 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 âToo bad, but I don't really feel sorry for you.â
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.
They also got a feel for the issues and questions they needed to address.
From Salon â Oct. 16, 2026
She hates how they make her feel for something that can’t feel.
From Los Angeles Times â Oct. 16, 2026
"I feel for Pakistan because this is embarrassing with everything they've had to cope with in the last week," he said.
From BBC â Sep. 9, 2026
To get a better feel for a community, hang around after checking out the home you are considering.
From The Wall Street Journal â Aug. 27, 2026
“You have to feel for that guy,” the second medic said.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, ÂĐ Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American HeritageÂŪ Idioms Dictionary copyright ÂĐ 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
