scope out

phrasal verb

scoped out; scoping out; scopes out
US, informal
: to look at (someone or something) especially in order to get information
They scoped out the area before setting up the tent.
Players were scoping out the competition.
He wants to scope out all of the possibilities before deciding what to do.

Examples of scope out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Still scoping out your options before making your final selection? Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2025 Sipping on Saratoga while scoping out real estate from a helicopter? Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025 Ray scopes out the old haunts and doesn’t find much outside confirmation that the killer Aryan meth-running biker gang is still on the hunt for both of them. Andy Andersen, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025 Production has yet to begin, but sources told Variety that White has been spending time in Thailand scoping out sites. Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scope out

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scope out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scope%20out. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!