- 'Look forward to' is always followed by a noun or gerund (-ing form), never an infinitive.
- 'Look after' (care for) and 'look for' (try to find) have completely different meanings.
- Some 'look' phrasal verbs are separable (look it up); others are inseparable (look into it).
- 'Look up to' means to admire; 'look down on' means to consider inferior.
- Learning phrasal verbs in context (sentences, dialogues) is far more effective than memorising lists.
Phrasal verbs are one of the trickiest aspects of English for learners at every level. A single base verb combined with different particles can produce a dizzying array of meanings — and 'look' is one of the most productive of all. The verb 'look' forms more than a dozen common phrasal verbs, many of which are essential for everyday communication.
This guide covers the most important phrasal verbs formed with 'look', explains their meanings clearly, shows them in natural example sentences, and gives you practical grammar notes to help you use them correctly.
1. Why 'Look' Phrasal Verbs Matter
Native English speakers use phrasal verbs constantly in speech and informal writing. If you avoid them and only use formal vocabulary equivalents, your English can sound unnatural or overly stiff. For example, a native speaker would say "look into it" rather than "investigate it" in many everyday conversations.
Moreover, phrasal verbs with 'look' cover a wide range of important concepts — caring for people, investigating problems, admiring role models, searching for things, and anticipating future events — which makes them particularly high-frequency and high-value to learn.
2. Essential 'Look' Phrasal Verbs
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| look up | Search for information; or (intransitive) to improve | "I looked up the word in a dictionary." / "Things are looking up at work." |
| look after | To take care of someone or something | "Could you look after my plants while I'm on holiday?" |
| look for | To try to find someone or something | "I've been looking for my passport all morning." |
| look forward to | To feel excited or pleased about a future event | "I'm really looking forward to the weekend." |
| look into | To investigate or examine something | "We'll look into the complaint and respond within five working days." |
| look out | To be careful; to watch for danger | "Look out! There's ice on the pavement." |
| look out for | To watch for; to protect someone | "Look out for the turning on your left." / "She always looks out for her younger brother." |
| look up to | To admire and respect someone | "He has always looked up to his grandfather." |
| look down on | To consider someone inferior or less important | "It's wrong to look down on people because of their background." |
| look over | To check or review something quickly | "Could you look over my essay before I submit it?" |
3. More 'Look' Phrasal Verbs
Once you have mastered the essentials, these additional phrasal verbs with 'look' will take your English to the next level:
- look back on — to think about a past time or event: "When I look back on my first year of teaching, I realise how much I've grown."
- look in on — to make a brief visit to check on someone: "Could you look in on Dad while I'm away? He lives alone."
- look on — to watch something without participating: "Hundreds of tourists looked on as the ceremony took place."
- look on as / look on ... as — to consider or regard: "I look on her as a close friend, even though we only met last year."
- look through — to read or examine something quickly; also to deliberately ignore someone: "She looked through the documents before the meeting." / "He looked straight through me at the party — how rude!"
- look ahead — to consider what might happen in the future: "Looking ahead, we need to plan our strategy for the next quarter."
- look around (also look round) — to examine a place or area: "We had an hour to look around the museum before it closed."
"I look forward to meet you" is incorrect. The correct form is "I look forward to meeting you" or "I'm looking forward to meeting you." The word "to" in "look forward to" is a preposition, not part of an infinitive construction, so it must be followed by a noun or a gerund.
4. Grammar Notes
Separable vs inseparable
One of the most important things to know about phrasal verbs is whether they can be separated by their object.
- Separable: look up — "Look it up." / "Look up the word." Both positions are correct. When the object is a pronoun, separation is obligatory: "Look it up" (not "look up it").
- Inseparable: look after, look into, look forward to, look up to, look down on — the object always comes after the full phrasal verb: "Look after the children" (not "look the children after").
Look forward to + gerund
As noted above, "to" in "look forward to" is a preposition. This means it must be followed by a noun or a gerund:
- Correct: "I'm looking forward to the trip." (noun)
- Correct: "I'm looking forward to visiting Rome." (gerund)
- Incorrect: "I'm looking forward to visit Rome."
Tense and aspect
Most 'look' phrasal verbs follow normal tense rules. However, note that look up (to improve) is commonly used in the present continuous: "Things are looking up." Using the simple present — "Things look up" — is less natural in this sense.
5. Practice Sentences
Test your understanding by completing these sentences with the correct 'look' phrasal verb:
- I don't know what this word means — I'll __________ it __________ in the dictionary. (look up)
- Can you __________ my dog while I'm in hospital? (look after)
- The police are __________ the incident. (looking into)
- She __________ her grandmother enormously — she's her biggest inspiration. (looks up to)
- I'm really __________ my holiday next month. (looking forward to)
- He's been __________ a new job for three months. (looking for)
- __________ — the ceiling is leaking! (Look out)
Practise Phrasal Verbs
Drill phrasal verb meanings and usage with LexFizz's free Flash Cards, Quiz, and Matching Pairs exercises.
Start Practising →Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'look up' mean as a phrasal verb?
'Look up' has two main meanings. First, to search for information: "I'll look up the train times." Second, to improve (used without an object): "Things are looking up since she got the new job." Both meanings are very common in everyday English.
What is the difference between 'look after' and 'look for'?
'Look after' means to take care of someone or something: "Could you look after my cat while I'm away?" 'Look for' means to try to find someone or something: "I'm looking for my keys — have you seen them?" These are two completely different meanings, so it's important not to confuse them.
Is 'look forward to' followed by a gerund or infinitive?
'Look forward to' is always followed by a noun or a gerund (the -ing form of a verb), NOT the infinitive. Correct: "I'm looking forward to seeing you." / "I'm looking forward to the weekend." Incorrect: "I'm looking forward to see you." This is one of the most common mistakes learners make with this phrase.
What does 'look into' mean?
'Look into' means to investigate or examine something more carefully. It is commonly used in professional contexts: "We'll look into the matter and get back to you shortly." / "The police are looking into the complaint." It suggests a more thorough examination than simply 'looking at' something.
What does 'look out' mean?
'Look out!' is used as a warning to tell someone to be careful about a danger: "Look out! There's a car coming!" The related phrase 'look out for' means to watch for something or someone: "Look out for the turning — it's easy to miss." It can also mean to protect someone: "Don't worry, I'll look out for you."
What does 'look up to' mean?
'Look up to' means to admire and respect someone: "She looks up to her older sister enormously." / "He's always looked up to his mentor at work." It is the opposite of 'look down on', which means to consider someone inferior or less important than oneself.
What is the meaning of 'look over'?
'Look over' means to examine or review something quickly: "Could you look over my report before I send it?" / "The teacher looked over our homework and returned it the next day." It suggests a general review rather than a deep, detailed examination. For a more thorough review, use 'go over' or 'go through'.
What does 'look down on' mean?
'Look down on' means to consider someone or something as inferior or less important: "She looks down on people who haven't been to university." It has a negative connotation and suggests arrogance. The opposite is 'look up to', meaning to admire or respect.
Can 'look' phrasal verbs be separated?
Some 'look' phrasal verbs are separable and some are not. 'Look up' is separable: "Look it up" or "Look up the word." 'Look after', 'look into', and 'look forward to' are inseparable — you cannot put the object between 'look' and the particle. Always check whether a phrasal verb is separable when you learn it.
What does 'look back on' mean?
'Look back on' means to think about a past event or period, often from a current perspective: "When I look back on my time at university, I realise how much I learnt." / "She looks back on her childhood with great fondness." It implies reflection and is often used when evaluating how things have changed.