look
1 of 2verb
ˈlu̇k 
looked; looking; looks
transitive verb
1
: to make sure or take care (that something is done)
censor to look that no man lived idly—
Edward Gee
Edward Gee2
: to ascertain by the use of one's eyes
look what I brought you
3
a
: to exercise the power of vision upon : examine
b
archaic : to search for
4
a
: expect, anticipate
we look to have a good year
b
: to have in mind as an end
looking to win back some lost profits
5
archaic : to bring into a place or condition by the exercise of the power of vision
6
: to express by the eyes or facial expression
the friar looked his surprise—Robert Brennan
Robert Brennan7
: to have an appearance that befits or accords with
looks her age
intransitive verb
1
a
: to exercise the power of vision : see
b
: to direct one's attention
look upon the future with hope
look at the map
c
: to direct the eyes
looked up from the newspaper
2
: to have the appearance or likelihood of being : seem
it looks unlikely
looks to be hard work
3
: to have a specified outlook
the house looked east
4
: to gaze in wonder or surprise : stare
5
: to show a tendency
the evidence looks to acquittal
look
2 of 2noun
1
a
: the act of looking
b
: glance
2
a
: the expression of the countenance
b
: physical appearance
especially : attractive physical appearance —usually used in plural
c
: a combination of design features giving a unified appearance
a new look in women's fashions
3
: the state or form in which something appears
Phrases
look after : to take care of
looked after her sick mother
1
: consider sense 1
looking at the possibility of relocating
2
: confront, face
looking at a mandatory fine—Cindy Kilass
Cindy Kilass : to view something with arrogance, disdain, or disapproval
writers who look down their noses at popular culture
1
: to await with hope or anticipation
You can look for me to arrive at noon.
2
: to search for : seek
looking for a new car
: to anticipate with pleasure or satisfaction
looking forward to your visit
: explore sense 1a
Investigators are looking into the cause of the accident.
: to direct one's attention away from something unpleasant or troublesome
We can't just look the other way while these violations of human rights continue to occur.
1
: to direct one's attention to
looking to the future
2
: to rely upon
looks to reading for relaxation
Synonyms
Verb
- act
- appear
- come across (as)
- come off (as)
- feel
- make
- seem
- sound
Noun
- cast
- countenance
- expression
- face
- visage
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He looked straight ahead and kept walking. When you take a walk, look around you. She smiled at me and then looked away. He looked back the way he had come. Look both ways before you cross the street. When I finally reached the top I was afraid to look down. She looked from one person to the next. They looked off into the distance. He was looking over his shoulder. Her new haircut makes her look young. Noun I don't think you left it here, but I'll take a look around for it. I took a quick look, but he wasn't there. See More
Recent Examples on the WebJennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2023 So your mind is directed there to look for that, to find those patterns as opposed to creating a whole new path and doing all the extra leg work and trying to convince people that this is a thing. —The Politics Of Everything, The New Republic, 15 Feb. 2023 Arlington ISD didn’t look far to hire Bob Wager’s replacement. —Dallas News, 14 Feb. 2023 That’s just my chance to make sure the people don’t look at them crazy [for making those co-signs]. —Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2023 Turning off the monitor, so people don’t look in that direction? —Connor Ratliff, SPIN, 14 Feb. 2023 After leading by 10 at the half, the Eagles didn’t look the same in the next 30 minutes on either side of the ball. —Victor Mather, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2023 Coach Brian Dutcher and his staff don’t just look at game film of prospective transfers. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2023 Coming off his team's most lopsided loss of the year, a 34-point beatdown at Pittsburgh on Tuesday, the head coach asked his players to put their heads down and fight — don't even look at the scoreboard until the final buzzer. —The Courier-Journal, 12 Feb. 2023 Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2023 With the men clad in black trousers and shirts and the women bare-legged and wearing black leotards, each bearing bits of bright color, the piece had the look of men on the street interacting with gymnasts. —Elaine Schmidt, Journal Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2023 Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Fast X and Star Trek: Picard. —Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Feb. 2023 When testing out the L.L.Bean Down-Alternative Damask Pillow, our testers reported that this pillow had the look and feel of a luxury hotel pillow. —Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2023 Northeastern’s 3-1 win over Boston University had a familiar look, almost a carbon copy of the 2-0 victory the Huskies posted at Agganis Arena Nov. 18. —Andrew Mahoney, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Feb. 2023 But Greene, who regularly goes sleeveless on the floor even when the room is cooled to suit jacket weather, had a look to keep intact. —Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2023 The canopy and handlebar have a luxurious look and feel, while the seat and footrest are both adjustable. —Chris Abell, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2023 The first Eye had the homespun look of a zine—many of the ads were handwritten and hand-drawn; one of the letters to the editor was from Abrams’s aunt, wishing him happiness in his new venture. —Hannah Gold, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2023 See More
Verb
But the singing and dancing T. rex, who rose to global fame in the 1990s as a symbol of love and inclusion, doesn’t look quite the same. —Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2023 So your mind is directed there to look for that, to find those patterns as opposed to creating a whole new path and doing all the extra leg work and trying to convince people that this is a thing. —The Politics Of Everything, The New Republic, 15 Feb. 2023 Arlington ISD didn’t look far to hire Bob Wager’s replacement. —Dallas News, 14 Feb. 2023 That’s just my chance to make sure the people don’t look at them crazy [for making those co-signs]. —Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2023 Turning off the monitor, so people don’t look in that direction? —Connor Ratliff, SPIN, 14 Feb. 2023 After leading by 10 at the half, the Eagles didn’t look the same in the next 30 minutes on either side of the ball. —Victor Mather, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2023 Coach Brian Dutcher and his staff don’t just look at game film of prospective transfers. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2023 Coming off his team's most lopsided loss of the year, a 34-point beatdown at Pittsburgh on Tuesday, the head coach asked his players to put their heads down and fight — don't even look at the scoreboard until the final buzzer. —The Courier-Journal, 12 Feb. 2023 Noun
Art critic Christopher Knight has a look at Uta Barth‘s transcendent retrospective exhibit at the Getty Museum. —Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2023 With the men clad in black trousers and shirts and the women bare-legged and wearing black leotards, each bearing bits of bright color, the piece had the look of men on the street interacting with gymnasts. —Elaine Schmidt, Journal Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2023 Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Fast X and Star Trek: Picard. —Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Feb. 2023 When testing out the L.L.Bean Down-Alternative Damask Pillow, our testers reported that this pillow had the look and feel of a luxury hotel pillow. —Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2023 Northeastern’s 3-1 win over Boston University had a familiar look, almost a carbon copy of the 2-0 victory the Huskies posted at Agganis Arena Nov. 18. —Andrew Mahoney, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Feb. 2023 But Greene, who regularly goes sleeveless on the floor even when the room is cooled to suit jacket weather, had a look to keep intact. —Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2023 The canopy and handlebar have a luxurious look and feel, while the seat and footrest are both adjustable. —Chris Abell, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2023 The first Eye had the homespun look of a zine—many of the ads were handwritten and hand-drawn; one of the letters to the editor was from Abrams’s aunt, wishing him happiness in his new venture. —Hannah Gold, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2023 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English, from Old English lōcian; akin to Old Saxon lōcōn to look
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing look
Kids Definition
look
1 of 2 verb ˈlu̇k
1
: to exercise the power of vision : see
2
: to express by the eyes or by an expression of the face
3
a
: to have an appearance that is suitable for
looks her age
b
: seem sense 1
it looks dangerous
4
: to direct one's attention or eyes
look in the mirror
5
: point entry 2 sense 4, face
the house looks east
look
2 of 2 noun1
a
: the act of looking
b
: glance entry 2 sense 3
2
a
: the expression of the face
b
: physical appearance
especially : attractive physical appearance —usually used in plural
3
: the state or form in which something appears : aspect
look 1 of 2
verb
1
as in to seem
to give the impression of being it looks like it might rain Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- seem
- feel
- sound
- appear
- act
- make
- pretend
- resemble
- suggest
- come off (as)
- come across (as)
- hint
- recall
- imply
- dissemble
- insinuate
2
as in to voice
to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion) the music teacher looked her displeasure with a fierce frown Synonyms & Similar Words
- voice
- give
- express
- state
- sound
- say
- air
- expound
- write
- announce
- put forth
- describe
- convey
- ventilate
- raise
- proclaim
- vent
- offer
- publish
- give air to
- advertise
- declare
- disseminate
- submit
- write up
- circulate
- speak out
- enunciate
- speak up
- broadcast
- communicate
- sound off
- put over
- enounce
- put across
- chime in
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- suppress
- restrict
- stifle
- restrain
- censor
3
as in to plan
to have in mind as a purpose or goal they were looking to make a fast buck Synonyms & Similar Words
- plan
- intend
- go
- hope
- try
- mean
- contemplate
- aim
- wish
- design
- propose
- aspire
- purpose
- calculate
- attempt
- purport
- meditate
- allow
- consider
- figure on
- ponder
- strive
- dream
- struggle
- debate
- achieve
- effect
- accomplish
- endeavor
- plot
- perform
- scheme
- mull (over)
- execute
look
2 of 2noun
1
as in expression
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling you should have seen the look on your face when we yelled "Surprise!" Synonyms & Similar Words
- expression
- face
- smile
- grin
- countenance
- visage
- scowl
- cast
- grimace
- frown
- appearance
- pout
- mouth
- lower
- demeanor
- presence
- bearing
- manner
- air
- mien
- lour
- aspect
2
as in glance
an instance of looking especially briefly she gave the junk mail a quick look before throwing it in the wastebasket Synonyms & Similar Words
- glance
- peek
- glimpse
- stare
- view
- gaze
- peep
- gander
- sight
- glare
- eye
- ogle
- cast
- regard
- gape
- leer
- squint
- side-glance
- squinny
- coup d'oeil
3
as in appearance
the outward form of someone or something especially as indicative of a quality the bride's father has the look of a prosperous businessman Synonyms & Similar Words
- appearance
- attitude
- presence
- demeanor
- manner
- dress
- figure
- outside
- garb
- aspect
- shape
- pose
- mien
- posture
- person
- regard
- turn
- face
- behavior
- bearing
- cut of one's jib
- stance
- air
- deportment
- features
- poise
- cast
- comportment
- mold
- carriage
- coloring
- color
- countenance
- complexion
- visage
- habit
- physiognomy
- habitus
- superficies
4
as in beauty
looks plural the qualities in a person or thing that as a whole give pleasure to the senses a supermodel's career tends to be entirely based on her exceptional good looks Synonyms & Similar Words
- beauty
- appeal
- attractiveness
- beautifulness
- prettiness
- cuteness
- aesthetics
- attraction
- glamor
- elegance
- comeliness
- sightliness
- desirability
- fairness
- loveliness
- desirableness
- glamour
- handsomeness
- gorgeousness
- sex appeal
- fascination
- charm
- esthetics
- allure
- beauteousness
- sexiness
- glossiness
- radiance
- resplendence
- delightfulness
- perfection
- radiancy
- resplendency
- gloriousness
- seductiveness
- shapeliness
- pulchritude
- lusciousness
- sublimity
- splendidness
- sublimeness
- exquisiteness
- flawlessness
- daintiness
- slickness
- splashiness
- flashiness
- showiness
- nubility
- splendiferousness
- foxiness
- flamboyance
- superbness
- delicacy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ugliness
- plainness
- homeliness
- hideousness
- grotesqueness
- unsightliness
- unattractiveness
- blemish
- nastiness
- flaw
- vileness
- imperfection
- foulness
- repulsiveness
- terribleness
- dreadfulness
- unloveliness
- horribleness
- disagreeableness
- loathsomeness
- repellency
- ghastliness
- offensiveness
- unbecomingness
Synonym Chooser
The words expect and hope are common synonyms of look. While all three words mean "to await some occurrence or outcome," look, with to, implies assurance that expectations will be fulfilled; with for it implies less assurance and suggests an attitude of expectancy and watchfulness.
looks to a tidy profit from the sale
look for rain when the wind shifts to the northeast
The meanings of expect and look largely overlap; however, expect implies a high degree of certainty and usually involves the idea of preparing or envisioning.
expects to be finished by Tuesday
While the synonyms hope and look are close in meaning, hope implies little certainty but suggests confidence or assurance in the possibility that what one desires or longs for will happen.
hopes to find a job soon