Phrase guide

look out

verb · 7 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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1

verb

Meaning 1

To be vigilant and aware often as an imperative to alert a person to danger.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

Examples

  • While you're in the city center, look out for the dodgy street vendors.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: take care, watch out

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To find by looking: to hunt out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To be facing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A spacious room that looks out on the sea.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

Ellipsis of look out for (someone)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, informal, intransitive

Examples

  • Hey man, I know it costs four dollars but I only have three. Can you please look out?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

to protect someone's interests

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • A man's gotta look out for his family

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: protect

7

verb

Meaning 7

be vigilant, be on the lookout or be careful

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Watch out for pickpockets!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: watch, watch out

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: beware, mind, keep one's eyes peeled, keep one's eyes skinned, keep one's eyes open, look after

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: أَطَلَّ (ʔaṭalla) — to look from within to the outside
  • Arabic: طلّ (ṭall) — to look from within to the outside
  • Esperanto: elrigardi — to look from within to the outside
  • Finnish: katsoa ulos — to look from within to the outside
  • Gallurese: affaccassi — to look from within to the outside
  • German: hinausschauen — to look from within to the outside
  • Hungarian: kinéz — to look from within to the outside
  • Italian: affacciarsi — to look from within to the outside
  • Italian: guardare fuori — to look from within to the outside
  • Latin: video — to look from within to the outside
  • Malayalam: നോക്കുക (nōkkuka) — to look from within to the outside
  • Norwegian: pass opp — to look from within to the outside
  • Polish: wyglądać — to look from within to the outside
  • Polish: wyjrzeć — to look from within to the outside
  • Russian: выгля́дывать (vygljádyvatʹ) — to look from within to the outside
  • Russian: вы́глянуть (výgljanutʹ) — to look from within to the outside
  • Campidanese Sardinian: affacciài — to look from within to the outside
  • Sardinian: accarare — to look from within to the outside
  • Sassarese: acciarassi — to look from within to the outside
  • Swedish: titta ut — to look from within to the outside
  • Ukrainian: вигляда́ти (vyhljadáty) — to look from within to the outside
  • Ukrainian: ви́глянути (výhljanuty) — to look from within to the outside
  • Walloon: båker — to look from within to the outside
  • Arabic: حا َسـِب — to be vigilant and aware
  • Bulgarian: внимавам (vnimavam) — to be vigilant and aware
  • Chinese Mandarin: 当心 (dāngxīn) — to be vigilant and aware
  • Chinese Mandarin: 小心 (xiǎoxīn) — to be vigilant and aware
  • Chinese Mandarin: 注意 (zhùyì) — to be vigilant and aware
  • Finnish: varoa — to be vigilant and aware
  • Finnish: olla varuillaan — to be vigilant and aware
  • French: prendre garde — to be vigilant and aware
  • German: aufpassen — to be vigilant and aware
  • Hungarian: vigyáz — to be vigilant and aware
  • Hungarian: óvatos — to be vigilant and aware
  • Italian: fare attenzione — to be vigilant and aware
  • Italian: stare attento — to be vigilant and aware
  • Italian: badare — to be vigilant and aware
  • Latvian: uzmanies — to be vigilant and aware
  • Lithuanian: dėmesio — to be vigilant and aware
  • Malayalam: സൂക്ഷിക്കുക (sūkṣikkuka) — to be vigilant and aware
  • Persian: مواظب بودن (movâzeb budan) — to be vigilant and aware
  • Polish: uważać — to be vigilant and aware
  • Romanian: fi atent — to be vigilant and aware
  • Russian: быть настороже́ (bytʹ nastorožé) — to be vigilant and aware
  • Russian: быть осторо́жным (bytʹ ostoróžnym) — to be vigilant and aware
  • Swedish: se upp — to be vigilant and aware
  • Vietnamese: cảnh giác — to be vigilant and aware
  • Vietnamese: để ý — to be vigilant and aware
  • Bulgarian: гледам към (gledam kǎm) — to be facing
  • Italian: affacciarsi — to be facing
  • Italian: essere rivolto — to be facing
  • Italian: dare su — to be facing
  • Spanish: mirar a — to be facing
  • Spanish: dar a — to be facing
  • Bulgarian: намирам (namiram) — to find by looking
  • Italian: cercare — to find by looking
  • Italian: cercare con lo sguardo — to find by looking