Phrase guide

look around

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To inspect a building or area.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • We're interested in buying this house. Can we look around tomorrow?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To search a place.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I can't find my keys, so I'll look around.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To turn one's head to see what is behind oneself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • He heard a voice and looked around to see a man wearing dark clothes.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To take note of the situation; to make oneself aware.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see look, around.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

look about oneself

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • look around to see whether you can find the missing document

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: look

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

35 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: تَلَفَّتَ (talaffata) — to inspect a building or area
  • Azerbaijani: baxınmaq — to inspect a building or area
  • Bulgarian: оглеждам се (ogleždam se) — to inspect a building or area
  • Chinese Mandarin: 環顧 /环顾 (huángù) — to inspect a building or area
  • Finnish: tutkia — to inspect a building or area
  • Finnish: tarkastella — to inspect a building or area
  • Finnish: kierrellä — to inspect a building or area
  • French: regarder autour de soi — to inspect a building or area
  • German: sich umsehen — to inspect a building or area
  • German: sich umschauen — to inspect a building or area
  • German: umherblicken — to inspect a building or area
  • Ancient Greek: περισκοπέω (periskopéō) — to inspect a building or area
  • Hungarian: körülnéz — to inspect a building or area
  • Japanese: 見回す (mimawasu) — to inspect a building or area
  • Korean: 둘러보다 (dulleoboda) — to inspect a building or area
  • Polish: rozglądać się — to inspect a building or area
  • Polish: rozejrzeć się — to inspect a building or area
  • Russian: осма́триваться (osmátrivatʹsja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Russian: осмотре́ться (osmotrétʹsja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Russian: огля́дываться (ogljádyvatʹsja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Russian: огляде́ться (ogljadétʹsja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Russian: огляну́ться (ogljanútʹsja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Russian: озира́ться (ozirátʹsja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Ukrainian: озира́тися (ozyrátysja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Ukrainian: озирну́тися (ozyrnútysja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Ukrainian: огляда́тися (ohljadátysja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Ukrainian: огля́нутися (ohljánutysja) — to inspect a building or area
  • Finnish: etsiä — to search a place
  • Finnish: koettaa löytää — to search a place
  • Finnish: hakea — to search a place
  • Polish: przeglądać — to search a place
  • Polish: przejrzeć — to search a place
  • Finnish: katsoa ympärilleen — to make oneself aware
  • Polish: orientować się — to make oneself aware
  • Polish: zorientować się — to make oneself aware