Some things are easy to find. Others take time. In everyday life, people in the USA often use special phrases called idioms to talk about searching. These idioms make talking about looking for something more fun and colorful.
Whether it’s hunting for lost keys, digging through a box, or trying to solve a mystery, idioms about searching can help explain the effort or struggle. These sayings come from different places—some from history, others from everyday actions. In this article, we will learn 25 easy-to-understand idioms about searching that Americans use often.
Idioms About Searching
1. Search high and low
Meaning: To look everywhere.
Example Sentence:
• I searched high and low for my missing homework.
• We searched high and low for our lost dog.
Other ways to say: Look everywhere, check all around
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase started in old English times, meaning to look in every place—high or low.
Usage: Used when someone is looking very hard for something.
2. Leave no stone unturned
Meaning: To try every possible way to find something.
Example Sentence:
• The police left no stone unturned while looking for clues.
• Mom left no stone unturned when searching for my lost toy.
Other ways to say: Try every way, check everything
Fun Fact/Origin: It comes from old stories about searching under every stone for hidden treasure.
Usage: Used when someone is determined to find something.
3. Go on a wild goose chase
Meaning: To waste time looking for something that’s hard or impossible to find.
Example Sentence:
• We went on a wild goose chase trying to find that old video game.
• I thought the book was in the library, but it was just a wild goose chase.
Other ways to say: Waste time looking, chase something that’s not there
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from a type of horse race in England that was hard to follow—like chasing geese.
Usage: Used when a search leads to nothing.
4. Hot on the trail
Meaning: Getting close to finding something.
Example Sentence:
• The dog was hot on the trail of the missing cat.
• I was hot on the trail of the missing cookie jar lid.
Other ways to say: Getting close, almost there
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hunting dogs following a scent or trail.
Usage: Used when someone is close to finding something.
5. Like looking for a needle in a haystack
Meaning: Very hard to find something small in a big mess.
Example Sentence:
• Finding my small toy in the sandbox was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
• Looking for that one file on Dad’s computer was like a needle in a haystack.
Other ways to say: Super hard to find, nearly impossible
Fun Fact/Origin: Haystacks were big and messy, so finding a tiny needle inside was very tough.
Usage: Used when the search is very difficult.
6. Sniff out
Meaning: To discover or find something, especially a secret.
Example Sentence:
• The dog sniffed out the hidden treats.
• I sniffed out the truth about who broke the window.
Other ways to say: Find, uncover
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from dogs using their nose to find things.
Usage: Used when someone figures something out or finds it.
7. On the hunt
Meaning: Actively searching for something.
Example Sentence:
• I’m on the hunt for a new backpack.
• She’s on the hunt for her missing shoe.
Other ways to say: Looking for, trying to find
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from people going hunting for animals.
Usage: Used when someone is actively searching.
8. Track down
Meaning: To find where something or someone is.
Example Sentence:
• We tracked down the lost kitten.
• Dad tracked down the best pizza place in town.
Other ways to say: Find, locate
Fun Fact/Origin: Used often in hunting or detective work.
Usage: Used when someone finds a person or thing after looking.
9. Dig around
Meaning: To search by looking through things.
Example Sentence:
• I had to dig around in my closet to find my shoes.
• She dug around in the drawer to find a pen.
Other ways to say: Search, look through
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the act of digging in the dirt to find something.
Usage: Used when someone is searching through things.
10. Scout out
Meaning: To explore or search an area carefully.
Example Sentence:
• We scouted out the best spot for our picnic.
• He scouted out the park before the soccer game.
Other ways to say: Check out, look over
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from scouts in the army who searched ahead.
Usage: Used when checking or searching a place before doing something.
11. Fish for information
Meaning: To try to get someone to give you details without asking directly.
Example Sentence:
• She was fishing for information about the surprise party.
• He kept asking questions to fish for info about the test.
Other ways to say: Hint around, try to find out
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the way people fish—dropping a line and hoping for a bite.
Usage: Used when someone tries to learn something without asking straight out.
12. Beat the bushes
Meaning: To search really hard in every place.
Example Sentence:
• We beat the bushes looking for our lost cat.
• The team beat the bushes for clues about the mystery.
Other ways to say: Search hard, look carefully
Fun Fact/Origin: From hunters hitting bushes to scare animals out.
Usage: Used when someone searches with lots of effort.
13. Cast about
Meaning: To try different ways to find or figure something out.
Example Sentence:
• I cast about for ideas for my school project.
• She cast about for a new way to fix the broken toy.
Other ways to say: Try different things, explore
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from fishing, where “casting” means throwing the line in.
Usage: Used when someone is unsure and tries different options.
14. Come up empty
Meaning: To look but not find anything.
Example Sentence:
• I searched the attic but came up empty.
• He looked for his shoes and came up empty.
Other ways to say: Find nothing, return with nothing
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old hunting or fishing when someone returned with nothing.
Usage: Used when a search gives no results.
15. Sift through
Meaning: To go through something carefully to find something.
Example Sentence:
• We sifted through the old photos to find Grandma’s picture.
• She sifted through the papers to find the map.
Other ways to say: Sort through, go through
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from using a sieve to separate useful things from junk.
Usage: Used when carefully searching through a group of items.
16. Hit the trail
Meaning: To start searching or traveling to find something.
Example Sentence:
• We hit the trail to find the lost dog.
• The detective hit the trail to solve the case.
Other ways to say: Start searching, get going
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from people or animals starting on a trail.
Usage: Used when beginning a search or journey.
17. Run something to ground
Meaning: To search until you find the answer or thing you’re looking for.
Example Sentence:
• The teacher ran the truth to ground about who was cheating.
• I ran it to ground and found my missing charger behind the couch.
Other ways to say: Find the truth, figure it out
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hunting animals that hide in the ground.
Usage: Used when someone keeps searching until they succeed.
18. Look into
Meaning: To check or investigate something.
Example Sentence:
• The principal will look into the missing lunch money.
• We looked into the noise in the backyard.
Other ways to say: Investigate, check on
Fun Fact/Origin: Used often in news and police work.
Usage: Used when someone examines something to learn more.
19. Root around
Meaning: To search through things in a messy way.
Example Sentence:
• I rooted around in my bag for a pencil.
• He rooted around in the toy box for his truck.
Other ways to say: Dig through, search messily
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how pigs root in dirt to find food.
Usage: Used when someone searches in a messy place.
20. Hunt down
Meaning: To find something after looking hard.
Example Sentence:
• She hunted down the missing puzzle piece.
• We hunted down the last copy of the book.
Other ways to say: Track down, find
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hunting animals in the wild.
Usage: Used when someone finds something after a long search.
21. Peel back the layers
Meaning: To dig deeper to understand or find something.
Example Sentence:
• We peeled back the layers of the story to find the truth.
• The teacher helped peel back the layers of the problem.
Other ways to say: Dig deeper, uncover
Fun Fact/Origin: Like peeling an onion, you find more underneath.
Usage: Used when trying to discover hidden facts.
22. Dig up dirt
Meaning: To find bad or secret things about someone.
Example Sentence:
• The reporter dug up dirt on the mayor.
• She tried to dig up dirt about her brother’s secret.
Other ways to say: Find secrets, uncover something bad
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in journalism and detective stories.
Usage: Used when someone tries to find secret or embarrassing info.
23. Go under the radar
Meaning: To search or act quietly without being noticed.
Example Sentence:
• We went under the radar while looking for clues.
• She stayed under the radar while searching the teacher’s desk.
Other ways to say: Stay hidden, act quietly
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from airplanes flying low to avoid being seen on radar.
Usage: Used when someone searches or does something secretly.
24. Sniff around
Meaning: To investigate or look into something a bit secretly.
Example Sentence:
• The dog sniffed around the kitchen for food.
• The kids sniffed around the teacher’s desk to find the prize.
Other ways to say: Look around, snoop
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from dogs sniffing around to find food or scents.
Usage: Used when someone is checking things out quietly.
25. Get to the bottom of it
Meaning: To find out the real cause or truth.
Example Sentence:
• I got to the bottom of who broke the vase.
• The school got to the bottom of the cheating problem.
Other ways to say: Solve, find out
Fun Fact/Origin: It means going deep like digging to the bottom of something.
Usage: Used when someone solves a mystery or problem.
Quiz: Idioms About Searching
Instructions: Choose the best meaning for each idiom. There is only one correct answer per question.
Question Key
1. What does “search high and low” mean?
A) Look only in high places
B) Search everywhere
C) Give up quickly
2. If you’re on a “wild goose chase,” what’s happening?
A) You’re looking for a goose
B) You are searching in the right place
C) You’re wasting time looking for something hard to find
3. What does “leave no stone unturned” mean?
A) Avoid touching things
B) Try every way to find something
C) Only check one place
4. When someone is “hot on the trail,” what does that mean?
A) They’re very far away
B) They’re close to finding something
C) They’re making up clues
5. What does “like looking for a needle in a haystack” mean?
A) Finding something in a clean room
B) A search that’s easy
C) A very hard thing to find
6. If you “sniff out” something, what are you doing?
A) Smelling something
B) Discovering something, often a secret
C) Cleaning up
7. What does “come up empty” mean?
A) You found lots of stuff
B) You forgot to search
C) You searched but found nothing
8. What does “dig around” mean?
A) Plant flowers
B) Search through things to find something
C) Play outside
9. If someone is “fishing for information,” what are they doing?
A) Asking directly
B) Trying to get details without asking clearly
C) Watching TV
10. What does “get to the bottom of it” mean?
A) Go downstairs
B) Figure out the truth
C) Quit early
Answer Key
- B – Search everywhere
- C – You’re wasting time looking for something hard to find
- B – Try every way to find something
- B – They’re close to finding something
- C – A very hard thing to find
- B – Discovering something, often a secret
- C – You searched but found nothing
- B – Search through things to find something
- B – Trying to get details without asking clearly
- B – Figure out the truth
Wrapping Up
Idioms about searching are used a lot by people in the USA. These sayings help us describe looking for things in fun and clear ways. Whether it’s finding your keys or solving a mystery, these idioms make conversations more colorful.
Now that you know 25 idioms about searching, try using them at home or school. They’ll help your English sound more natural and fun to your American friends.
