1 A2 neutral
To direct your eyes toward the ground or toward something below you.
"He looked down at his phone and missed the announcement entirely."
inseparable
look down
A2 neutral inseparable intransitive
To direct your eyes downward, or to lower your gaze.
In plain English
To move your eyes toward the ground or toward something below you.
What does "look down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To lower one's eyes as a sign of shyness, shame, or avoidance.
"When the teacher asked who had cheated, the guilty student looked down and said nothing."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To direct your gaze downward.
Actually means
To move your eyes toward the ground or toward something below you.
Usage tip
Very common in narrative and everyday speech. The literal sense is among the most basic uses of a direction + look combination. Do not confuse with 'look down on' (to feel superior to someone), which requires the addition of 'on'.
Words that pair with "look down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
floor ground feet screen page street
How to conjugate "look down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
look down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
looks down
he/she/it
Past simple
looked down
yesterday
Past participle
looked down
have + pp
-ing form
looking down
continuous
Hear "look down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "look down" 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.