feel out
B2 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To carefully find out what someone thinks or what a situation is like before making a decision.
Literal meaning: To 'feel' one's way outward — tactile exploration extended metaphorically to social or intellectual exploration.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
informal
To cautiously explore someone's opinions or feelings about something.
"Before making a formal offer, the recruiter called to feel out the candidate's interest in relocating."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
informal
To gradually assess or understand a situation by engaging with it carefully.
"In the first few weeks at a new job, you're really just feeling the place out — learning how things work."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Common in American English. Used in business, politics, and personal relationships. Implies a gentle, indirect approach to gathering information. The object can be a person or a situation.
Commonly used with
situation candidate prospect market opinion potential
Forms
Base
feel out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
feels out
he/she/it
Past simple
felt out
yesterday
Past participle
felt out
have + pp
-ing form
feeling out
continuous
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Synonyms
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