# look at sb/sth

CEFR A1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/look-at-sb-sth
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

To direct your eyes towards someone or something in order to see them.

For teachers: To direct one's gaze towards a specific person or object; a transitive prepositional verb.

## Examples

- 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He looked the picture." but "He looked at the picture." — The preposition 'at' is required to connect the verb 'look' to its object.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.