1 B1 neutral
To read or examine something quickly in order to check it or get a general impression.
"Could you look over my essay before I hand it in?"
separable
look over
B1 neutral separable transitive
To examine or review something fairly quickly, often to check for problems.
In plain English
You quickly read or check something to see if it's okay.
What does "look over" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To inspect a place or object visually, often walking around it.
"The engineer looked over the whole site before writing her report."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To ignore or deliberately overlook someone's faults or mistakes.
"The manager was willing to look over his tardiness because his work was excellent."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To cast your eyes over the surface of something.
Actually means
You quickly read or check something to see if it's okay.
Usage tip
Implies a relatively quick review rather than a deep analysis. Very common in professional and academic contexts: 'Can you look this over before I send it?'
Words that pair with "look over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
document report contract notes application draft
How to conjugate "look over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
look over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
looks over
he/she/it
Past simple
looked over
yesterday
Past participle
looked over
have + pp
-ing form
looking over
continuous
Hear "look over" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "look over" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "look over"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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