Find — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈfīnd/

Meaning & Definition of Find

Find (verb)

  1. to come upon often accidentally, encounter
  2. to meet with (a particular reception)
  3. to come upon by searching or effort

Find (noun)

  1. an act or instance of finding
  2. something found
  3. a valuable discovery

Find (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "we finally found the information after searching dozens of Internet sites"

    similar: 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
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

  2. to come upon unexpectedly or by chance

    "hey, I found my notebook!"

    similar: chance (upon), encounter, happen (on or upon), hit (upon), light (on or upon), meet, pitch (upon), stumble (on or onto), tumble (upon), bump into, come across, run across, run against, run into, run upon
    related: luck (out, on, onto, or into), confront, face, discover, strike, turn up

Find (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. something discovered

    "that antique plate was a great garage sale find"

    similar: discovery
    related: pay dirt, strike, treasure trove, breakthrough

Related Entry: Find out (verb)

Find out is a different word from Find. The synonyms below are for find out, not for find.

  1. to come to an awareness of

    "that was around the time that I found out I was adopted"

    similar: ascertain, catch on (to), discover, get on (to), hear, learn, realize, see, wise (up), get wind of
    related: hit (on or upon), tumble (to), descry, detect, encounter, espy, spot, calculate, dope (out), figure out, find, puzzle (out), discern, mind, note, observe, perceive, divine
    near: miss, overlook, disregard, ignore, forget, unlearn, blanket, blot out, cloak, conceal, cover, curtain, enshroud, hide, mask, occult, screen, shroud, veil

  2. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "found out about the new restaurant by reading reviews online"

    similar: ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, 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
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

Related Entry: Find fault (with) (phrase)

Find fault (with) is a different word from Find. The synonyms below are for find fault (with), not for find.

  1. to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of

    "She could always find fault with someone after only one date."

    similar: blame, censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, dis (slang), dispraise, fault, knock, pan, reprehend, slag (chiefly British), come down hard (on), take to task
    related: skewer, tweak, assail, attack, blast, clobber, slam, slash, nick (at), snipe (at), beef, bellyache, bitch, carp, cavil, complain, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grouse, growl, grumble, kick, kvetch, moan, murmur, mutter, niggle, quibble, whine, admonish, chide, drub, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, berate, castigate, crucify, excoriate, flay, gibbet, hammer, keelhaul, lambaste, lash, pillory, scold, upbraid, bad-mouth, belittle, decry, deride, discommend, disparage, put down
    opposite: extol, laud, praise
    near: approve, commend, endorse, recommend, sanction

Related Entry: Find (for or against) (verb)

Find (for or against) is a different word from Find. The synonyms below are for find (for or against), not for find.

  1. as in try, decide

    similar: adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, decide, determine, judge, referee, rule (on), settle, umpire, consider, deem, deliberate, hear, ponder, weigh, prosecute, try, redetermine, rejudge, mediate, moderate, negotiate, conclude, resolve, size up
    opposite: equivocate, hedge, pussyfoot, skirt

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Find

The most common words with a similar meaning to Find:

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, chance (upon), encounter, happen (on or upon), hit (upon), light (on or upon), meet, pitch (upon), stumble (on or onto), tumble (upon), bump into, come across, run across, run against, run into, run upon, discovery

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Find

Words with the opposite meaning of Find:

miss, overlook, pass over

Related Words for Find

espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek, luck (out, on, onto, or into), confront, face, strike, pay dirt, treasure trove, breakthrough

Near Antonyms of Find

lose, mislay, misplace, misset

Word Forms of Find

Inflections: found, finding

Derived words: findable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Find

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: before 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Find

Words & Phrases Containing Find

find fault, find one's voice, find one's way, find out, find religion, find acceptance, find appealing

Frequently Asked Questions about Find

What does "Find" mean?

"Find" means to come upon often accidentally, encounter. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to come upon often accidentally, encounter. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Find"?

Other words for "Find" include ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover and dredge (up). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Find" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Find"?

There are 53 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Find". Common alternatives include ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out) and find out.

What is the opposite of "Find"?

Antonyms of "Find" include miss, overlook and pass over. Near antonyms include lose, mislay, misplace and misset.

How do you use "Find" in a sentence?

Examples of "Find" in a sentence: "we finally found the information after searching dozens of Internet sites"; "hey, I found my notebook!"; "that antique plate was a great garage sale find".

Is "Find" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Find" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Find" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Find" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Find"?

"Find" is pronounced /ˈfīnd/.