look at sb/sth
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. To direct your eyes towards someone or something in order to see them.
phrasal verb. To direct one's gaze towards a specific person or object; a transitive prepositional verb.
Look at the beautiful sunset.
The teacher told the students to stop talking and look at the board.
The art historian looked at the painting for hours, trying to decipher the artist's hidden message in the brushstrokes.
Usage
Used to direct someone's attention to something visual.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'look for' (to search) and 'look after' (to take care of) to highlight how the particle changes the verb's meaning.
Pitfall
He looked the picture.He looked at the picture.The preposition 'at' is required to connect the verb 'look' to its object.
Last updated April 24, 2026