1 A2 neutral
To turn your head to see what is behind or around you.
"He heard a noise and looked round, but the street was empty."
inseparable
look round
A2 informal inseparable transitive/intransitive
To turn and look in different directions, or to casually explore a place.
In plain English
You turn your head to see what's around you, or you walk around a place to see what's there.
What does "look round" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 informal
To walk through or casually explore a place, often without a specific purpose.
"We arrived early and had time to look round the cathedral before the tour started."
inseparable
3 B1 idiomatic informal
To search for something by checking various options or places (British English).
"I've been looking round for a decent second-hand bike, but haven't found one yet."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To turn and look in the direction surrounding you.
Actually means
You turn your head to see what's around you, or you walk around a place to see what's there.
Usage tip
Primarily British English. 'Look round' a shop or museum is extremely common in everyday British speech. Americans typically say 'look around.'
Words that pair with "look round"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shop museum house town gallery room
How to conjugate "look round"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
look round
I/you/we/they
3rd person
looks round
he/she/it
Past simple
looked round
yesterday
Past participle
looked round
have + pp
-ing form
looking round
continuous
Hear "look round" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "look round" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "look round"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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