1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To ignore or overlook a flaw, negative quality, or obstacle in order to appreciate something more important.
"Once you see past his shyness, you'll realise he's actually very funny."
inseparable
see past
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
To look beyond or ignore a negative quality or obstacle in order to perceive something more important.
In plain English
To not let something bad or annoying stop you from seeing the good things.
What does "see past" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To physically look beyond an obstruction in order to see something on the other side.
"She stood on her tiptoes, trying to see past the crowd to the stage."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To look physically beyond something that is in front of you — extended to mean ignoring a mental or emotional obstacle.
Actually means
To not let something bad or annoying stop you from seeing the good things.
Usage tip
Used in both literal and figurative contexts. Figuratively, it often describes overlooking someone's faults, a bad first impression, or an obvious problem to see deeper value.
Words that pair with "see past"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
flaws appearance surface differences mistakes bias
How to conjugate "see past"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
see past
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sees past
he/she/it
Past simple
saw past
yesterday
Past participle
seen past
have + pp
-ing form
seeing past
continuous
Hear "see past" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "see past" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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