English Reference

Phrasal verb

feel around

Definition

phrasal verb. to use your hands to search for something when you cannot see it clearly. You use this when looking for things in the dark or inside a bag.

phrasal verb. to search for something by touch, typically in conditions of low visibility or within an enclosed space. The verb is intransitive, though it frequently takes a prepositional complement.

Examples

“I feel around for the light switch in the dark.”

“After the power went out, she had to feel around in the kitchen drawer to find a candle and some matches.”

“The archaeologist had to feel around cautiously within the narrow crevice, hoping to encounter the smooth surface of a ceramic shard without disturbing the surrounding silt.”

Examples

simple

“I feel around for the light switch in the dark.”

contextual

“After the power went out, she had to feel around in the kitchen drawer to find a candle and some matches.”

complex

“The archaeologist had to feel around cautiously within the narrow crevice, hoping to encounter the smooth surface of a ceramic shard without disturbing the surrounding silt.”

Usage

Usually followed by the preposition 'for' when naming the specific object you want to find.

Teaching tip

Contrast with 'grope', which implies a more desperate or clumsy movement; 'feel around' is the standard term for searching by touch.

Pitfall

I felt around of my keys in the dark.

I felt around for my keys in the dark.

The preposition 'for' is required to introduce the object being sought; 'of' is never used here.

Phrasal verb

Particles

around

Separability

inseparable

Pattern

feel + around (+ for + object)

Synonyms

gropefumblesearchtouch

Antonyms

seeobservespot

Grammar

Phrasal verbs (introduction)

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

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