find
Other forms: found; finding; finds
To find something means to discover it. When you're strolling through a green field, you might try to find a four-leaf clover.
You can find something deliberately, or by stumbling upon it, like when you find a five-dollar bill on the sidewalk. In this meaning, find means obtain, but it can also mean observe, such as when you find that reading in dim light gives you a headache. As a noun, find is the thing you discover, like your elephant costume, the best find in day of garage sale shopping.
Definitions of find
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discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of“We found traces of lead in the paint”
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discover
make a discovery, make a new finding
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types:
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catch out, find out
trap; especially in an error or in a reprehensible act
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sense
detect some circumstance or entity automatically
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instantiate
find an instance of (a word or particular usage of a word)
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trace
discover traces of
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see
observe as if with an eye
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discover
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make a discovery, make a new finding“Physicists believe they found a new elementary particle”
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synonyms:
discover
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discover
make a discovery
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ascertain, determine, find out
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
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detect, discover, notice, observe
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
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type of:
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conceive, conceptualise, conceptualize, gestate
have the idea for
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discover
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make a discovery
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establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study“find the product of two numbers”“The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize”
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ascertain, check, determine, find out, learn, see, watch
find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort
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discover
make a discovery, make a new finding
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gauge
determine the capacity, volume, or contents of by measurement and calculation
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translate
determine the amino-acid sequence of a protein during its synthesis by using information on the messenger RNA
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rectify
math: determine the length of
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redetermine
fix, find, or establish again
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sequence
determine the order of constituents in
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refract
determine the refracting power of (a lens)
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count, enumerate, number, numerate
determine the number or amount of
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admeasure
determine the quantity of someone's share
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locate, situate
determine or indicate the place, site, or limits of, as if by an instrument or by a survey
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recount
count again
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miscount
count wrongly
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census
conduct a census
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add, add together, add up, sum, sum up, summate, tally, tot, tot up, total, tote up
determine the sum of
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acquire
locate (a moving entity) by means of a tracking system such as radar
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radiolocate
locate by means of radar
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map
locate within a specific region of a chromosome in relation to known DNA or gene sequences
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localise, localize, place
identify the location or place of
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base
situate as a center of operations
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ascertain, check, determine, find out, learn, see, watch
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the act of discovering something
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synonyms:
discovery, uncovering
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types:
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tracing
the discovery and description of the course of development of something
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catching, detection, espial, spotting, spying
the act of detecting something; catching sight of something
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self-discovery
discovering your own individuality
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breakthrough
making an important discovery
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determination, finding
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
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rediscovery
the act of discovering again
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designation, identification
the act of designating or identifying something
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resolution, solving
finding a solution to a problem
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proof, substantiation, validation
the act of validating; finding or testing the truth of something
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disproof, falsification, falsifying, refutal, refutation
the act of determining that something is false
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fix, localisation, localization, locating, location
a determination of the place where something is
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predetermination
the act of determining or ordaining in advance what is to take place
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rectification
determination of the length of a curve; finding a straight line equal in length to a given curve
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redetermination
determining again
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type of:
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act, deed, human action, human activity
something that people do or cause to happen
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come upon, as if by accident; meet with
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perceive or be contemporaneous with“We found Republicans winning the offices”
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discover, find out, get a line, get wind, get word, hear, learn, pick up, see
get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
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types:
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catch
become aware of
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type of:
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experience, go through, see
go or live through
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discover, find out, get a line, get wind, get word, hear, learn, pick up, see
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perceive oneself to be in a certain condition or place“I found myself in a difficult situation”“When he woke up, he found himself in a hospital room”
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type of:
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comprehend, perceive
become aware of through the senses
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comprehend, perceive
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accept and make use of one's personality, abilities, and situation“My son went to Berkeley to find himself”
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synonyms:
find oneself
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come upon after searching; find the location of something that was missed or lost“Did you find your glasses?”“I cannot find my gloves!”
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synonyms:
regain
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Antonyms:
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lose
miss from one's possessions; lose sight of
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types:
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feel
find by testing or cautious exploration
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locate, turn up
discover the location of; determine the place of; find by searching or examining
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attain, chance on, chance upon, come across, come upon, discover, fall upon, happen upon, light upon, strike
find unexpectedly
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rout out, rout up
get or find by searching
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unearth
bring to light
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nail, pinpoint
locate exactly
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lose
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get something or somebody for a specific purpose
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come to believe on the basis of emotion, intuitions, or indefinite grounds“I find him to be obnoxious”“I found the movie rather entertaining”
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synonyms:
feel
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rule
decide on and make a declaration about
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type of:
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conclude, reason, reason out
decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion
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rule
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decide on and make a declaration about
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a productive insight
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synonyms:
breakthrough, discovery
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type of:
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brainstorm, brainwave, insight
the clear (and often sudden) understanding of a complex situation
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brainstorm, brainwave, insight
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obtain through effort or management
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get or find back; recover the use of“She found her voice and replied quickly”
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regain
come upon after searching; find the location of something that was missed or lost
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regain
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receive a specified treatment (abstract)“These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation”
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succeed in reaching; arrive at
Pronunciation
US
/faɪnd/
UK
/faɪnd/
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