1 A2 neutral
To turn and look in different directions to see what is near you or what is happening.
"She looked around nervously before knocking on the door."
inseparable
look around
A2 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To turn and look in various directions to examine your surroundings, or to visit a place and inspect it.
In plain English
To look at the things near you or to walk through a place to see what's there.
What does "look around" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To visit a place and examine it, walking through or touring it casually.
"We had an hour to look around the old cathedral before the tour bus left."
inseparable
3 B1 neutral
To search or explore generally for something, without a specific target.
"I'm just looking around for a new laptop — I haven't decided on a model yet."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To direct your gaze around (in a circular or scanning motion) to see what surrounds you.
Actually means
To look at the things near you or to walk through a place to see what's there.
Usage tip
Very common in everyday speech. Can be used literally (turning your head to see what is nearby) or in the context of visiting a place (looking around a museum, shop, or house). Common in retail contexts: 'Just looking around, thanks.'
Words that pair with "look around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shop house museum city room neighbourhood
How to conjugate "look around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
look around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
looks around
he/she/it
Past simple
looked around
yesterday
Past participle
looked around
have + pp
-ing form
looking around
continuous
Hear "look around" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "look around" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.