ferret around

verb

To search for something by sorting through materials or (in the case of information) by speaking to contacts and following leads.

“We need to know more about this new chap. Why don't you go to his home town and ferret around a bit? See what you can come up with.”

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ferret about
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Meanings

verbferret around (third-person singular simple present ferrets around, present participle ferreting around, simple past and past participle ferreted around)

present singular third person ferrets around · participle present ferreting around · participle past ferreted around · past ferreted around

  1. colloquialTo search for something by sorting through materials or (in the case of information) by speaking to contacts and following leads.

    We need to know more about this new chap. Why don't you go to his home town and ferret around a bit? See what you can come up with.

    Synonyms: ferret about

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo search for something by sorting through materials or (in the case of information) by speaking to contacts and following leads.

Similar
ferret about
Also see
ferret about
Cite this entry
APA

ferret around. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ferret%20around

MLA

“ferret around.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ferret%20around. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ferret around,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ferret%20around.

Source: ferret around on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.