look out for
Idioms-
See to the welfare of, as in Mary was assigned to look out for the youngsters on the playground . Similar to look after , this expression appears in such terms as look out for number one , meaning “see to one's own best interests,” as in Looking out for number one is Barbara's first priority . Versions of this expression, such as take care of number one , date from 1700.
-
Be careful of or watchful for something or someone, as in Look out for broken glass on the floor , or Look out for Mary—she'll be coming any minute . [Second half of 1600s] Also see look out .
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.
Elsewhere, what used to be roaming bands of Hadzabe men now work as village forest guards, tasked with patrolling vast scrub forests and acacia bushlands to look out for poachers, land grabbers and illegal loggers.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
Dr Punam joins us to discuss the red flags to look out for in your health.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
You need to look out for each other, and protect your own interests too.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
Schnabel said the experience of 2022 has taught policymakers what to look out for as warning signs when they are assessing the impact of an energy shock, and they should be alert.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
"He'd want us to look out for each other, right?"
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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.
