The verb “Look” is one of the first words students learn in English. While it usually means to use your eyes, its phrasal verb forms are much more diverse. Using phrasal verbs with look allows you to talk about taking care of others, searching for lost keys, or feeling excited about the future.
In this guide, we break down phrasal verbs look examples that will help you move from a basic level to a more natural, fluent style of speaking.
12 Common Phrasal Verbs with Look
1. Look after
- Meaning: To take care of someone or something.
- Example: “Could you look after my cat while I am on vacation?”
2. Look for
- Meaning: To try to find something or someone.
- Example: “I am looking for my keys. Have you seen them?”
3. Look forward to
- Meaning: To feel excited about something that will happen in the future.
- Example: “I look forward to meeting you next week!”
4. Look up
- Meaning: To search for information in a book, dictionary, or online.
- Example: “If you don’t know the word, look it up in the dictionary.”
5. Look into
- Meaning: To investigate or find out more facts about a problem.
- Example: “The police are looking into the cause of the accident.”
6. Look out
- Meaning: To be careful (often used as a warning).
- Example: “Look out! There is a car coming!”
7. Look over
- Meaning: To examine or check something quickly.
- Example: “Please look over this contract before you sign it.”
8. Look up to
- Meaning: To respect or admire someone.
- Example: “I have always looked up to my older brother.”
9. Look down on
- Meaning: To think that someone is less important or inferior to you.
- Example: “It is wrong to look down on people because they are poor.”
10. Look back on
- Meaning: To think about something that happened in the past.
- Example: “I often look back on my childhood with happy memories.”
11. Look through
- Meaning: To read or examine something quickly (similar to look over).
- Example: “I was looking through some old photos yesterday.”
12. Look ahead
- Meaning: To think about or plan for the future.
- Example: “We need to look ahead and decide our goals for next year.”
Study Tip: Think About Direction
A great way to remember phrasal verbs common to the verb “Look” is to think about the direction of the particle:
- UP: Thinking about someone “higher” than you (Look up to) or finding a “higher” source of info (Look up).
- DOWN: Thinking about someone “lower” than you (Look down on).
- FORWARD / AHEAD: Thinking about the future.
- BACK: Thinking about the past.
To help you practice, try taking a phrasal verbs quiz with “Look” to see how many of these verbs you have mastered.
To really learn these, don’t just memorize definitions. Phrasal verbs are most effective when learned by situation. For more grouped examples, check out our guide on learning phrasal verbs by themes or topics.
Confidence comes from knowing you have the right words for any situation. By studying phrasal verbs by root verb, you gain a deep understanding of how English actions work together. Which root verb will you master next?
Practice Exercise
Try to find the correct “Look” verb for these sentences:
- I need to ________ my baby sister tonight.
- He is ________ a new job in London.
- Don’t ________ on him just because he is a beginner.
Mastering these phrasal verbs look examples is a major step toward English fluency. If you want to see how these fit into a larger vocabulary plan, check out this list of 100 top common verbs.
Answers: 1. Look after, 2. Looking for, 3. Look down
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