fish for
phrasal verb
fished for; fishing for; fishes for
: to ask for or try to get (something, such as praise or attention) in an indirect way
I think he offers apologies for his cooking as a way of fishing for compliments.
fishing for answers
Examples of fish for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The data highlight is U.S. [Consumer Price Index] on Wednesday, but the reality is that there are bigger fish for the market to fry at the moment than a monthly inflation report.
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Chloe Taylor,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
Most people show up to camp in the 25-square-mile Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, or paddle and fish for salmon and whitefish along the 61 miles of the Kobuk River within the park’s borders.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 21 Jan. 2025
That’s why those who are secure with themselves aren’t typically fishing for compliments.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 5 Feb. 2025
Tan says the ingredients in the salad represent different things: fish for abundance, vegetables for vitality and so on.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 26 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fish for
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Chloe Taylor,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
Most people show up to camp in the 25-square-mile Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, or paddle and fish for salmon and whitefish along the 61 miles of the Kobuk River within the park’s borders.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 21 Jan. 2025
That’s why those who are secure with themselves aren’t typically fishing for compliments.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 5 Feb. 2025
Tan says the ingredients in the salad represent different things: fish for abundance, vegetables for vitality and so on.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 26 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fish for
Cite this Entry
“Fish for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fish%20for. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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