# look back at sth

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

To think about something that happened in your past. You often do this to remember or evaluate it.

For teachers: A transitive phrasal verb meaning to reflect on or remember a past event, period, or experience.

## Examples

- I look back at my childhood fondly.
- When she looks back at her first year in business, she can't believe how much she learned.
- Historians looking back at the 20th century often struggle to comprehend the sheer scale of its technological and social transformations.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He looked back his life." but "He looked back at his life." — The preposition 'at' is required to connect the verb to the object of reflection.

## Usage notes

- Often followed by a noun phrase representing a period of time or a significant event.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with the intransitive 'look back', which can mean to physically turn one's head or to reflect generally without a specified object.

---

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.