# feel for

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/feel-for
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to feel sympathy or pity for someone because they are going through a hard time.

For teachers: to experience sympathy or compassion for someone, typically in response to their misfortune. This phrasal verb is transitive and requires a direct object, usually a person or a situation.

## Examples

- I really feel for you and your family right now.
- After his house was flooded, all his neighbors really felt for him and offered to help.
- Although the judge followed the letter of the law, she clearly felt for the defendant, whose circumstances were truly tragic.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I feel him." but "I feel for him." — Without the preposition 'for', the phrase either means literal touch or is a slang term for agreement.

## Usage notes

- The object is usually a person, but it can also be a situation or a plight.
- Teaching tip: Contrast this with 'pity', which can sound condescending, and 'sympathize with', which is more formal.

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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.