# look sth up

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

To search for a piece of information in a book, on a computer, or online.

For teachers: To find a piece of information by searching in a reference source like a dictionary or database. This phrasal verb is transitive and separable.

## Examples

- I need to look up the train times.
- If you don't know the word's meaning, you can always look it up online.
- The genealogist looked up centuries of parish records to trace the family's lineage back to the 1600s.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I will look up it." but "I will look it up." — When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- The object is typically a piece of information like a word, a fact, or a number.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'look for' (to search for a lost physical item) and 'look into' (to investigate a problem or situation).

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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.