Look at meaning
Look at means to turn your eyes towards someone or something. It can also mean to examine something to find a problem or check it.
look at somebody or something
look at · looked · looking
Look at me when I’m talking to you.
Look at meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Turn your eyes towards someone or something
look at somebody or something
- Look at me when I’m talking to you.
- We looked at the photos for an hour.
- Why are you looking at my phone?
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2
Examine something to find a problem or check it
look at something
- A doctor will look at your knee tomorrow.
- Can you look at my essay before I send it?
- The mechanic looked at the engine.
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3
Think about a subject carefully before you decide
look at something
- We’re looking at a few different options.
- The board will look at the budget on Monday.
- You should look at this from her point of view.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use look at in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is look at separable?
Look at is not separable. The thing you look at comes after at: look at the map, look at it, look at him.
A pronoun is in the object form after at: look at me, not look at I. With a person you often add a place or a reason: look at her with surprise.
Verb tenses for look at
| Present | I look at · she looks at |
|---|---|
| Past | looked at |
| Present perfect | have looked at |
| -ing form | looking at |
Common mistakes with look at
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: Look at to me.
Right: Look at me.
Do not add to after look at.
Wrong: I looked the photo at.
Right: I looked at the photo.
At comes straight after look.
Wrong: He looked at I.
Right: He looked at me.
Use me, him, her, us or them after at.
Synonyms and opposites of look at
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- watchlook at something that is moving, for some time
- seenotice with your eyes, without trying
- look intoinvestigate a problem
- look overread or check something quickly
Opposite
- look awayturn your eyes from something
- ignorepay no attention to someone or something
Look at quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1Please ___ the board and copy the sentence.
Look at means turn your eyes to something.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Look at + the thing, with nothing in between.
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3“We’re looking at three options.” What does it mean?
Look at can mean think about something carefully.
More phrasal verbs with look
All phrasal verbs with look, by level, with an exercise
13 phrasal verbs start with look. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- look forA1try to find someone or something
- look afterA2take care of someone or something and keep them safe and well
- look upA2find information in a dictionary, a book or online
- look forward toB1feel happy about something that is going to happen
- look outB1be careful, because something bad may happen
- look aroundB1walk around a place and look at the things in it
- look intoB2examine the facts about a problem to find out the cause
- look backB2think about something that happened in the past
- look down onB2think that you are better than someone
- look up toB2admire and respect someone
- look overC2check something quickly, to see if it is right
- look throughB2read or check something quickly, page by page
Look at FAQ
Questions people ask about look at.
What is the difference between look at, see and watch?
See is what happens when light reaches your eyes. Look at means you turn your eyes on purpose. Watch means look at something that moves or changes, for some time.
What does look at mean in a job or a meeting?
Look at often means think about or study something before deciding. The team will look at the numbers next week.
Is it look at me or look to me?
Look at me means turn your eyes to me. Look to me means expect me to help or lead, and sounds more formal.
Use look at in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.