# put out feelers

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/put-out-feelers
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To explore or watch for; to ask around; to investigate.

## Examples

- I'm putting out feelers to see if anyone wants to buy my car.
- He puts out feelers to see if his neighbors want to share a garden.
- They put out feelers for a cheaper apartment in the city center.
- Before quitting her job, she put out feelers to check if other companies were hiring.
- The band members are putting out feelers to find a new drummer who can travel for their upcoming summer tour.
- We should put out feelers at the conference to see if any local businesses are interested in a partnership.
- After the long meeting, the manager put out feelers to gauge how the team felt about the new office rules.
- The diplomat quietly put out feelers among his contacts, probing for any sign that the hostile regime might be open to secret talks.

## Origin

Derived from an allusion to animals that employ their feelers to gain awareness of their surroundings. The image is one of tentative physical inquiry, borrowed from the biological functions of insects or crustaceans to describe the act of seeking information through indirect means.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.