look around

phrasal verb·3 senses·particle around

Meanings

1

Glance in every direction

Why “around”? Something turns around a centre to face a new direction.

Look around. Isn't the view amazing?
Glance in every direction. Isn't the view amazing?
Look around the room before you choose a seat.
Glance in every direction around the room before you choose a seat.
2

Move your eyes to look at all parts of a place

Why “around”? You stay near a place or person, but you do not fully join or leave.

He looked around the room.
He moved his eyes around the whole room.
She looked around the empty hall.
She moved her eyes over all parts of the empty hall.
3

Visit a place to see what is there, especially before deciding to buy

Why “around”? Looking or trying around means checking many points before choosing one.

We're just looking around.
We're just browsing the shop.
They looked around the market before buying anything.
They browsed the market before buying anything.

Don't confuse with

look aroundlook away

Look around means glance in every direction. Look away means turn your eyes in a different direction.

look aroundlook in

Look around means visit a place to see what is there. Look in means visit briefly to see how someone is.

Test yourself

Look around. Isn't the view amazing? What does it mean?

Nearby in the meaning map

Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.

Practice “look around” in Sink In

Drill this and 600+ phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by particle.