find
/faɪnd/ (bre, ipa) · /faɪnd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfīnd/ (ame, mw)
find — verb
- findpresent simple I / you / we / they
- findshe / she / it
- foundpast simple
- finding-ing form
1. to see, get back, or learn the position of someone or something, after looking f
to see, get back, or learn the position of someone or something, after looking for them or by chance.
Andrés found his train ticket stuck between the pages of a notebook.
find + object: discovering a lost item
Hugo searched the whole house but could not find his car keys anywhere.
negative form: could not find
Dewi found a small seashell on the sand near the water.
Amira hopes to find a part-time job at the library next semester.
Yan found a beautiful hiking trail while exploring the map of the area.
- lose
opposite meaning — to no longer know where something is
文法句型
find + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used with a direct object that names the lost or sought item; also compatible with wh-clauses such as 'find where' or 'find how'. For ongoing search (before discovery), prefer 'look for' instead of 'find'.
常見錯誤
2. to become aware of a fact or the existence of something through direct experienc
to become aware of a fact or the existence of something through direct experience, without necessarily having searched for it.
Noa found that drinking more water stopped her headaches in the afternoon.
find + that-clause: discovering a fact through experience
Arjun opened the drawer and found the old letters his grandmother had saved.
Anna found it surprisingly easy to ride a bicycle after ten years away.
Caleb found the movie too long and walked out before the ending.
- overlook
to fail to notice or realize
文法句型
find + (that) + clause
find + it + adjective + to-infinitive
find + object + complement
用法筆記
Often takes a that-clause (find that…) or a wh-clause (find why / how / what…). Also very common in the pattern find + it + adjective + to-infinitive, where 'it' is a placeholder for the real subject (the infinitive phrase).
常見錯誤
3. to form a specific reaction or opinion about a person or thing based on what you
to form a specific reaction or opinion about a person or thing based on what you have directly seen, heard, or experienced.
Imani found the documentary about ocean pollution deeply upsetting but very important.
find + object + adjective
Diya finds her new manager very supportive and easy to talk to about problems.
find + someone + adjective phrase
Most viewers found the film boring because the story moved too slowly for two hours.
We found the hotel room clean and comfortable, so we decided to extend our stay.
The teacher found it surprising that her students had never heard of the civil rights movement.
文法句型
find + someone/something + adjective/noun
find + it + adjective + that-clause
用法筆記
The complement after the object is essential — you cannot say 'I find the film' without an adjective or noun completing the meaning. The 'it' pattern ('I find it strange that...') is very common in spoken English.
常見錯誤
4. to exist, grow, or be available in a particular place — often used to describe w
to exist, grow, or be available in a particular place — often used to describe where plants, animals, objects, or features naturally occur.
These wild orchids are only found in the cloud forests of Central America.
passive: are found + location — describing where something exists
Mert was surprised to find deer living in the woods behind his house.
Rania said that starfish can be found on the rocks when the tide goes out.
Sophia found fresh basil growing in a small pot on the kitchen windowsill.
Ancient cave paintings are found in several caves along the southern coast.
文法句型
be found + in/on/at + location
can be found + location
用法筆記
Typically used in the passive voice (is / are found) or with the modal can / could. The active form implies a discoverer who encounters the thing, while the passive simply states its existence in that location.
5. to succeed in reaching a place or getting to a destination, especially when the
to succeed in reaching a place or getting to a destination, especially when the route is not obvious.
After getting lost twice, Bilal finally found the entrance to the old temple.
find + the entrance: reaching a destination after difficulty
Feng used a compass to find his way through the thick forest.
find + possessive + way: find one's way to a place
Rachid could not find the keyhole in the dark without a light.
Xiu followed the river downstream and found a bridge that crossed to the village.
- lose (your way)
opposite meaning — to fail to stay on the correct route
文法句型
find + noun phrase (way / path / exit / route)
用法筆記
Commonly used with possessive determiners in the phrase find + one's way / path / route. The object is usually a location, exit, or opening — not an abstract goal.
常見錯誤
6. used when a person becomes part of a situation, place, or activity and only late
used when a person becomes part of a situation, place, or activity and only later notices it, having not planned to be there.
After the argument, Élise found herself sitting alone on a bench in the park.
find + oneself + verb-ing: unintentional action
Sade moved to London and soon found herself working at a busy children's hospital.
Ada started a small blog and found herself overwhelmed by the sudden attention.
Ingrid left the party early and found herself completely alone on the dark street.
- end up
informal, implies the final result after a series of events
- wind up
informal, similar to 'end up' but more conversational
- realize you are
more literal and less idiomatic
文法句型
find + oneself + present participle
find + oneself + adjective
find + oneself + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Always used with a reflexive pronoun (find myself / yourself / himself / herself / ourselves / themselves). The complement after the reflexive pronoun can be a present participle (verb-ing), an adjective, or a prepositional phrase describing a place or state.
常見錯誤
7. to notice and point out things that are wrong with someone or something, often i
to notice and point out things that are wrong with someone or something, often in an unfair or overly critical way.
Christopher was always finding fault with his younger sister's cooking.
collocation: find fault with someone
The inspector found several serious problems in the building's electrical wiring.
collocation: find problems in something
Maeve kept finding spelling mistakes in every email her assistant sent out.
Sumin's supervisor found no errors in the report and praised the careful work.
Benjamin always found something wrong with the hotel rooms his wife booked.
- praise
opposite — to express approval or admiration
- compliment
opposite — to say something positive
文法句型
find + fault + with + noun phrase
find + mistakes/problems/errors + in + noun phrase
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the fixed phrase find + fault + with, or with find + mistakes/problems/errors + in. The tone is often negative and implies the critic is being too strict or looking deliberately for flaws.
常見錯誤
8. to travel, try new experiences, or change your way of living so that you learn w
to travel, try new experiences, or change your way of living so that you learn what kind of person you truly are and what you really want from life.
Christopher traveled through India for a year, hoping to find himself through meditation and new experiences.
find + yourself + through/by + activity
Salma quit her corporate job and hiked in the Andes for six months to find herself.
infinitive of purpose: to find yourself
Liang found himself through volunteer work — his true passion was helping others rebuild after disasters.
Many young people take a year off to travel and find themselves before university.
The painter said that living alone in a mountain village helped her find herself.
- discover oneself
more formal; slightly more intellectual in tone
- find one's purpose
more specific — focuses on life direction rather than overall character
文法句型
find + yourself + through/by + activity
go/do something to find yourself
用法筆記
Reflexive: the object is always 'yourself', 'himself', 'herself', 'myself', etc. Frequently used in the context of a major life change such as travel, a career shift, or time spent in solitude.
常見錯誤
9. (of a judge, jury, or court) to officially decide and declare someone's legal st
(of a judge, jury, or court) to officially decide and declare someone's legal status after examining all the evidence in a trial, for example whether they are guilty or not.
The jury found the defendant guilty of stealing money from the children's charity.
find + someone + guilty of + crime
Hari was found not guilty because the police had no real evidence against him.
passive: be found not guilty
The court found the company liable for selling unsafe products to elderly customers.
After a long trial, the judge found her guilty of fraud and gave her an eight-year sentence.
The Supreme Court found the new voting law unconstitutional and blocked it immediately.
文法句型
find + someone + adjective (guilty/not guilty/liable)
be found + adjective
用法筆記
Frequently passive: 'was found guilty / not guilty'. The object complement is almost always a legal-status adjective: guilty, not guilty, liable, negligent, innocent. Do not confuse with 'find' meaning 'discover' — this sense is restricted to formal legal contexts.
常見錯誤
find — noun
- findsingular
- findsplural
1. something valuable, useful, or impressive that someone discovers, often when the
something valuable, useful, or impressive that someone discovers, often when they were not expecting it — for example, unearthing a rare book at a market stall, or discovering an unusually talented performer in a local café.
The old painting that Valentina bought at a garage sale turned out to be a real find.
collocation: a real / quite a find for an unexpectedly good discovery
The young goalkeeper from Senegal was a remarkable find for the national team.
collocation: a remarkable find for a talented person discovered
Archaeologists described the bronze statue as the find of the decade.
The little bakery near Walid's apartment was a lucky find on his first morning there.
The handwritten letters inside the old suitcase were an amazing find for the family historian.
- discovery
more formal and neutral; 'find' adds enthusiasm and suggests personal involvement
- gem
informal, often for a person or hidden treasure; suggests something rare and delightful
- bargain
specifically about paying a low price; narrower than 'find'
- prize
suggests something won or earned, not necessarily stumbled upon
- loss
opposite in outcome — something valuable that disappears or is missed
文法句型
a/an + (adjective) + find
the + find + of + [time period]
用法筆記
Always requires a determiner (a, the, that, this) and is typically modified by a positive adjective (real, lucky, amazing, remarkable, incredible). Not used for ordinary, everyday discoveries — 'I found my keys' would NOT be expressed as 'a find'.