look
Americanverb (used without object)
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looks,
present (3rd person singular)
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looked,
past participle, past
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looking
present participle
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to turn one's eyes toward something or in some direction in order to see.
He looked toward the western horizon and saw the returning planes.
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to glance or gaze in a manner specified.
to look questioningly at a person.
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to use one's sight or vision in seeking, searching, examining, watching, etc..
to look through the papers.
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to tend, as in bearing or significance.
Conditions look toward war.
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to appear or seem to the eye as specified.
to look pale.
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to appear or seem to the mind.
The case looks promising.
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to direct attention or consideration.
to look at the facts.
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to have an outlook or afford a view.
The window looks upon the street.
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to face or front.
The house looks to the east.
verb (used with object)
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looks,
present (3rd person singular)
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looked,
past participle, past
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looking
present participle
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to give (someone) a look.
He looked me straight in the eye.
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to have an appearance appropriate to or befitting (something).
She looked her age.
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to appear to be; look like.
He looked a perfect fool, coming to the party a day late.
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to express or suggest by looks.
to look one's annoyance at a person.
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Archaic. to bring, put, etc., by looks.
noun
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looks
plural
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the act of looking.
a look of inquiry.
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a visual search or examination.
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the way in which a person or thing appears to the eye or to the mind; aspect.
He has the look of an honest man.
The tablecloth has a cheap look.
- Synonyms:
- air, appearance
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an expressive glance.
to give someone a sharp look.
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looks,
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general aspect; appearance.
to like the looks of a place.
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attractive, pleasing appearance.
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verb phrase
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look in
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Also look into. to look briefly inside of.
Look in the jar and tell me if any cookies are left.
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Also look in on. to visit (a person, place, etc.) briefly.
I'll look in some day next week.
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look into to inquire into; investigate; examine.
The auditors are looking into the records to find the cause of the discrepancy.
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look over to examine, especially briefly.
Will you please look over my report before I submit it?
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look up
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to direct the eyes upward; raise one's glance.
The other guests looked up as she entered the room.
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to become better or more prosperous; improve.
Business is looking up.
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to search for, as an item of information, in a reference book or the like.
Look up the answer in the encyclopedia.
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to seek out, especially to visit.
to look up an old friend.
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Nautical. (of a sailing ship) to head more nearly in the direction of its destination after a favoring change of wind.
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look up to to regard with admiration or respect; esteem.
A boy needs a father he can look up to.
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look out
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to look to the outside, as from a window or a place of observation.
From her office window, she could look out over the bustling city.
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to be vigilant or on guard.
Look out, there are dangers ahead.
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to afford a view; face.
The room looks out on the garden.
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look down on / upon to regard with scorn or disdain; have contempt for.
They look down on all foreigners.
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look after
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to follow with the eye, as someone or something moving away.
She looked after him as he walked toward the train station.
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to pay attention to; concern oneself with.
to look after one's own interests.
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to take care of; minister to.
to look after a child.
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look for
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to seek; search for.
Columbus was looking for a shorter route to India when he discovered America.
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to anticipate; expect.
I'll be looking for you at the reception.
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look to
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to direct one's glance or gaze to.
If you look to your left, you can see the Empire State Building.
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to pay attention to.
Look to your own affairs and stay out of mine.
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to direct one's expectations or hopes to.
We look to the day when world peace will be a reality.
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to regard with expectation and anticipation.
We look to the future and greater advances in science and technology.
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look back to review past events; return in thought.
When I look back on our school days, it seems as if they were a century ago.
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look out for to take watchful care of; be concerned about.
He has to look out for his health.
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look on / upon
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to be a spectator; watch.
The crowd looked on at the street brawl.
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to consider; regard.
They look upon gambling as sinful.
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idioms
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look down one's nose at, to regard with an overbearing attitude of superiority, disdain, or censure.
The more advanced students really looked down their noses at the beginners.
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if looks could kill. see if looks could kill.
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look sharp,
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to be alert and quick.
If you want to get ahead, you must look sharp.
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Also look slippy. to hurry.
You'd better look sharp! It's getting late.
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look daggers, to look at someone with a furious, menacing expression.
I could see my partner looking daggers at me.
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look forward to, to anticipate with eagerness or pleasure.
I always look forward to your visits.
verb
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(often foll by at) to direct the eyes (towards)
to look at the sea
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(often foll by at) to direct one's attention (towards)
let's look at the circumstances
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(often foll by to) to turn one's interests or expectations (towards)
to look to the future
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(copula) to give the impression of being by appearance to the eye or mind; seem
that looks interesting
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to face in a particular direction
the house looks north
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to expect, hope, or plan (to do something)
I look to hear from you soon
he's looking to get rich
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(foll by for)
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to search or seek
I looked for you everywhere
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to cherish the expectation (of); hope (for)
I look for success
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(foll by to)
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to be mindful (of)
to look to the promise one has made
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to have recourse (to)
look to your swords, men!
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to be a pointer or sign
these early inventions looked towards the development of industry
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(foll by into) to carry out an investigation
to look into a mystery
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(tr) to direct a look at (someone) in a specified way
she looked her rival up and down
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(tr) to accord in appearance with (something)
to look one's age
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hurry up; get busy
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See dagger
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an expression used to attract someone's attention, add emphasis to a statement, etc
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(imperative) to hurry up; make haste
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to refuse to consider
they won't even look at my offer of £5000
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unattractive; plain
noun
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the act or an instance of looking
a look of despair
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a view or sight (of something)
let's have a look
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(often plural) appearance to the eye or mind; aspect
the look of innocence
I don't like the looks of this place
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style; fashion
the new look for summer
Usage
See See at like 1
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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looksimple
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lookssimple
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have lookedperfect
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has lookedperfect
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am lookingprogressive
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are lookingprogressive
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is lookingprogressive
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have been lookingperfect progressive
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has been lookingperfect progressive
Past
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lookedsimple
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had lookedperfect
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was lookingprogressive
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were lookingprogressive
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had been lookingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of look
First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English lōk(i)en, Old English lōcian; cognate with Middle Dutch lœken, akin to dialectal German lugen “to look out”; (noun) Middle English loke “act of looking, glance, countenance,” derivative of the verb
Explanation
When you look, you focus your vision on someone or something. If you get to the movie late, you'll have to look for your friends in the darkened theater. The Old English word locian is the root of look, meaning "see, gaze, or spy." When you look at something, you see it. Look can also describe how something appears, like when your dog looks sad, or something likely to happen, like a gray day that looks like rain. As a noun, look describes someone's style of dress, like your brother, whose rock star look gets lots of compliments — except from Grandpa.
Vocabulary lists containing look
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
There were suggestions City may look to let him leave after just 19 months at the club, but the player himself has dismissed such suggestions.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Let’s just say it made me look forward to a glass of my pre-colonoscopy potion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Bret may lament childhood’s demise, but if you had helicopter parents, these throes probably look less like trash than fire.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Earlier this year, it did indeed look like the administration would block mFlusiva; the FDA initially refused to review Moderna’s application, backtracking only after experts and the company pushed back.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
I look down on the Earth below; all that remains is Grace.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
If Uefa does not think it can get to 106, which looks a stretch, then there is little point in triggering the vote.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Deal or no deal, AstraZeneca stock looks like a bargain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Having been locked away before the internet became our collective second skin, they didn’t understand that, online, a reckless moment looks like a permanent identity.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
“I’ve asked my friends, and apparently my daydreaming or thinking face looks focused,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
A hulking, mustached man looks up at me.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Investors looked past low yields and gravitated to stability in an economy that is increasingly dependent on the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The central defensive partnership of Dujon Sterling and Emmanuel Fernandez looked particularly shaky.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
One small group kicked a football near a police van as officers looked on, while others prayed on the sand.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
She looked back on the “wild ride” of being poor together, living in Silver Lake and getting married with $200 between the two of them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
From the employee side of the window, the outside world looked fluid, all the people on the other side wavy, like an impressionist watercolor.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
But flying into Las Vegas in June, the technology journalist saw something he'd never seen before, as worried looking flight crew dashed to the rear of the plane.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
"Each part needs the other. Our voters aren't looking for ideological supremacy. They're looking for purpose and leadership."
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Investors looking to profit from further upside in the gold market have options.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
At Japan-based Takeda, scientists searched the company’s library of chemical compounds, looking for one that could switch on the orexin receptor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Ensuring that the badger was indeed staying put, Clare went to his bedroom and closed the door, for he doubted he could focus with the pesky badger looking over his shoulder.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
