look on
Britishverb
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(adverb) to be a spectator at an event or incident
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Also: look upon. (preposition) to consider or regard
she looked on the whole affair as a joke
he looks on his mother-in-law with disapproval
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Also, look upon . Regard in a certain way, as in I looked on him as a second father , or We looked upon her as a worthy successor . [Early 1600s]
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Be a spectator, watch, as in She rode the horse around the ring as her parents looked on . [Late 1500s]
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Also, look on with . Read from someone's book, paper, or music at the same time, as in I forgot my score; can I look on with you? [Late 1800s]
Other Word Forms
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.
I like to look on the bright side.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
As the young members of the Losers Club look on in horror, the clown addresses them directly with a lethal glare.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
And then, they tell you anyway with a proud look on their face, eliminating the chance to experience the satisfaction that comes with figuring something out on your own.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
Those at CFG will look on with interest at how Savinho fares away from their nest.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
In one photo, a Black woman is holding a protest sign above her head with a determined look on her face.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
