find

1 of 2

verb

ˈfīnd 

found ˈfau̇nd  ; finding

transitive verb

1

a

: to come upon often accidentally : encounter

found a $10 bill on the ground

b

: to meet with (a particular reception)

hoped to find favor

2

a

: to come upon by searching or effort

must find a suitable person for the job

b

: to discover by study or experiment

find an answer

c

: to obtain by effort or management

find the time to study

d

: attain, reach

the bullet found its mark

3

a

: to discover by the intellect or the feelings : experience

find much pleasure in your company

b

: to perceive (oneself) to be in a certain place or condition

found himself in prison awaiting deportation

found himself on the verge of bankruptcy

c

: to gain or regain the use or power of

trying to find his tongue

d

: to bring (oneself) to a realization of one's powers or of one's proper sphere of activity

must help the student to find himself as an individual

—N. M. Pusey

4

a

: provide, supply

b

: to furnish (room and board) especially as a condition of employment

he was chopping by day's work—75 cents a day—and found himself

—Herman Melville

5

: to determine and make a statement about

find a verdict

found her guilty

intransitive verb

: to determine a case judicially by a verdict

find for the defendant

findable

ˈfīn-də-bəl 

adjective

find

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or instance of finding

2

: something found: such as

a

: a valuable discovery

an archaeological find

b

: a person whose ability proves to be unexpectedly good

Phrases

find fault

: to criticize unfavorably

Synonyms

Verb

• ascertain
• descry
• detect
• determine
• dig out
• dig up
• discover
• dredge (up)
• ferret (out)
• find out
• get
• hit (on or upon)
• hunt (down or up)
• learn
• locate
• nose out
• root (out)
• rout (out)
• rummage
• run down
• scare up
• scout (up)
• track (down)
• turn up

Noun

• discovery

Examples of find in a Sentence

Verb

He found a dollar on the ground.

The well diggers found a number of Native American artifacts.

After an hour of searching, I finally found my glasses.

We need to find a suitable person for the job.

She found the answer at last.

They claim to have found a more efficient way to run the business.

researchers trying to find a cure for cancer

You must find time to do it.

I found a way to pay for college without taking out any loans.

She found the courage to address the crowd.

Noun

That antique she bought at the flea market was a real find.

That new secretary of yours is a real find!

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But with the Trumps, Musk also may have found a sense of family that has eluded him in certain ways. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

The researchers found that replacing any less active behavior with five minutes of exercise could lower systolic blood pressure by 0.68 points and diastolic blood pressure by 0.54 points. —Linda Carroll, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024

Noun

The finds, including extensive fortified cities and stunning artifacts, helped rewrite the region’s history. —Byvaishnavi Chandrashekhar, science.org, 4 Nov. 2024

As fascinating as the terror bird is, this find has an equally interesting origin story. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English findan; akin to Old High German findan to find, Latin pont-, pons bridge, Greek pontos sea, Sanskrit patha way, course

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing find

• find acceptance
• find appealing
• find approval/favor
• find a way into/to someone's heart
• find expression
• find faith
• find it in oneself
• find it in one's heart
• find its target
• find oneself
• find one's feet
• find one's mark/target
• find one's voice
• find one's way
• find out
• find out about
• find/take shelter
• get/find one's bearings
• return to find
• take/find/seek refuge

Kids Definition

find

1 of 2 verb

ˈfīnd 

found ˈfau̇nd  ; finding

1

: to meet with someone or something by chance

found a dime

2

: to come upon by searching, study, or effort

finally found the answer

3

: to obtain by effort or management

find time to do it

4

: to make a decision

find a verdict

5

: to know by experience

people found it useful

6

: to gain or regain the use of

found my voice again

find

2 of 2 noun

: something found

especially : a valuable item found

Legal Definition

find

verb

found; finding

transitive verb

1

: to come upon accidentally or through effort

found a valuable antique in the old desk

found a buyer for the property

2

: to make a judicial determination regarding

found the testimony not credible

found the defendant guilty

compare decide, hold

intransitive verb

: to make a judicial determination

the jury found in favor of the plaintiff