on the lookout

Idioms  

1. Also, on the watch. Vigilant, alert, as in Be on the lookout for the twins—they're somewhere on this playground, or He was on the watch for her arrival. Both phrases were originally used with upon. Upon the lookout was originally nautical usage, meaning “on duty being watchful” (as for another ship, rocks, or land); it appeared in the mid-1700s, and on replaced upon about a century later. Upon the watch was first recorded in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719), and on the watch in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility (1797).

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Example Sentences

For the time being, vinyl records made from reclaimed materials are the best that companies like Swanson’s can do, though they’re are always on the lookout for other, viable options for improving their footprint.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

In the future, she is hopeful for more projects like this one and says they are on the lookout for some more land.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

Ms. Jackson, a marine biologist and science educator, includes brief informational tidbits about the species we’re on the lookout for, with an eye for details that will appeal to the sensibilities of curious readers.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Last quarter, the Gemini app had over 750 million monthly active users, and investors will be on the lookout for more signs of increased adoption in the beginning of 2026.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

“Stay sharp, lads. The Magistrate said to be on the lookout for any funny stuff.”

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• active
• bright
• careful
• intelligent
• observant
• perceptive
• sharp
• vigilant
• wary
• watchful
• wired
• wise