look around

To walk through a place and see what is there.

• Can we look around the house?
• We looked around the town after lunch.
• Have you had time to look around?

How to use it: look around + place (We looked around the museum before lunch.)

Similar words: explore, inspect, tour

Common phrases: look around somewhere, look around a house

To search different parts of a place to find something.

• Look around for your keys.
• We looked around the kitchen but found nothing.
• Have you looked around for your phone?

How to use it: look around for something (I looked around for my missing keys.)

Similar words: search, hunt around

Common phrases: look around for something, look around somewhere

To direct your eyes in different directions to see what surrounds you.

• She looked around the room.
• I sat on the bench and looked around.
• He looked around at the faces in the crowd.

Similar words: look about, scan

Common phrases: look around the room, look around slowly

To turn your head to see what is behind you.

• I heard footsteps and looked around.
• She looked around when someone called her name.
• He looked around and saw a dog following him.

How to use it: look around to + verb (She looked around to see who had called her.)

Similar words: look back, turn around

Common phrases: look around suddenly, look around at someone

To notice what is happening around you and understand the situation.

• Look around; many people need help.
• She looked around and realized how much the town had changed.
• If you look around, you can see why people are worried.

Similar words: take stock, take notice

Common phrases: look around yourself, look around today