Which synonym of the word look

as in to seem

to give the impression of being

it looks like it might rain

as in to voice

to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion)

the music teacher looked her displeasure with a fierce frown

as in to plan

to have in mind as a purpose or goal

they were looking to make a fast buck

as in expression

facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling

you should have seen the look on your face when we yelled «Surprise!»

as in glance

an instance of looking especially briefly

she gave the junk mail a quick look before throwing it in the wastebasket

as in appearance

the outward form of someone or something especially as indicative of a quality

the bride’s father has the look of a prosperous businessman

as in beauty

looks plural

the qualities in a person or thing that as a whole give pleasure to the senses

a supermodel’s career tends to be entirely based on her exceptional good looks

How does the verb look contrast with its synonyms?

The words expect and hope are common synonyms of look. While all three words mean «to await some occurrence or outcome,» look, with to, implies assurance that expectations will be fulfilled; with for it implies less assurance and suggests an attitude of expectancy and watchfulness.

When might expect be a better fit than look?

The meanings of expect and look largely overlap; however, expect implies a high degree of certainty and usually involves the idea of preparing or envisioning.

When is it sensible to use hope instead of look?

While the synonyms hope and look are close in meaning, hope implies little certainty but suggests confidence or assurance in the possibility that what one desires or longs for will happen.

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1       verb   If you look    in a particular direction, you direct your eyes in that direction, especially so that you can see what is there or see what something is like.      
I looked down the hallway to room number nine…      V prep/adv  
She turned to look at him…      V prep/adv  
He looked away, apparently enraged…      V prep/adv  
If you look, you’ll see what was a lake.      V  
      Look is also a noun., n-sing  
Lucille took a last look in the mirror…, Assisi has a couple of churches that are worth a look if you have time.     

2       verb   If you look at a book, newspaper, or magazine, you read it fairly quickly or read part of it.  
You’ve just got to look at the last bit of Act Three.      V at n  
      Look is also a noun., n-sing   oft N at n  
A quick look at Monday’s British newspapers shows that there’s plenty of interest in foreign news.     

3       verb   If someone, especially an expert, looks at something, they examine it, and then deal with it or say how it should be dealt with.  
Can you look at my back? I think something’s wrong.      V at n, Also V  
      Look is also a noun., n-sing   usu N at n  
The car has not been running very well and a mechanic had to come over to have a look at it.     

4       verb   If you look at someone in a particular way, you look at them with your expression showing what you are feeling or thinking.  
She looked at him earnestly. `You don’t mind?’      V at n adv/prep  
      Look is also a noun., n-count   usu with supp, oft adj N, N of n  
He gave her a blank look, as if he had no idea who she was…, Sally spun round, a feigned look of surprise on her face.     

5       verb   If you look   for something, for example something that you have lost, you try to find it.      
I’m looking for a child. I believe your husband can help me find her…      V for n  
I had gone to Maine looking for a place to work…      V for n  
I looked everywhere for ideas…      V prep/adv for n  
Have you looked on the piano?      V prep/adv  
      Look is also a noun., n-sing  
Go and have another look.     

6       verb   If you are looking for something such as the solution to a problem or a new method, you want it and are trying to obtain it or think of it.  
(=seek)  
The working group will be looking for practical solutions to the problems faced by doctors…      V for n  

7       verb   If you look at a subject, problem, or situation, you think about it or study it, so that you know all about it and can perhaps consider what should be done in relation to it.  
(=examine, consider)  
Next term we’ll be looking at the Second World War period…      V at n  
He visited Florida a few years ago looking at the potential of the area to stage a big match.      V at n  
      Look is also a noun., n-sing   oft N at n  
A close look at the statistics reveals a troubling picture.     

8       verb   If you look at a person, situation, or subject from a particular point of view, you judge them or consider them from that point of view.  
Brian had learned to look at her with new respect…      V at n prep/adv  
It depends how you look at it.      V at n prep/adv  

9       convention   You say look    when you want someone to pay attention to you because you are going to say something important.      
Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it…, Now, look, here is how things stand.     

10       verb   You can use look    to draw attention to a particular situation, person, or thing, for example because you find it very surprising, significant, or annoying.      
only imper  
Hey, look at the time! We’ll talk about it tonight. All right?…      V at n  
Look what a mess you’ve made of your life.      V wh  

11       verb   If something such as a building or window looks somewhere, it has a view of a particular place.  
The castle looks over private parkland…      V prep  
      Look out means the same as look   ., phrasal verb      
We sit on the terrace, which looks out on the sea.      V P prep  

12       verb   If you are looking to do something, you are aiming to do it.  
We’re not looking to make a fortune.      V to-inf  

13    If you say or shout `look out!’ to someone, you are warning them that they are in danger.  
♦
look out      exclam  
`Look out!’ somebody shouted, as the truck started to roll toward the sea.     

14   
  →
  to look down your nose at someone  
  →
  nose   look after  

1       phrasal verb   If you look after someone or something, you do what is necessary to keep them healthy, safe, or in good condition.  
I love looking after the children…      V P n  
People don’t look after other people’s property in the same way as they look after their own.      V P n  

2       phrasal verb   If you look after something, you are responsible for it and deal with it or make sure it is all right, especially because it is your job to do so.  
…the farm manager who looks after the day-to-day organization…      V P n  
We’ll help you look after your finances.      V P n   look ahead      phrasal verb   If you look ahead, you think about what is going to happen in the future and perhaps make plans for the future.  
I’m trying to look ahead at what might happen and be ready to handle it.      V P   look around      phrasal verb  
in BRIT, also use look round      If you look around or look round a building or place, you walk round it and look at the different parts of it.  
We went to look round the show homes…      V P n  
I’m going to look around and see what I can find.      V P   look back      phrasal verb   If you look back, you think about things that happened in the past.  
Looking back, I am staggered how easily it was all arranged.      V P   look down on      phrasal verb   To look down on someone means to consider that person to be inferior or unimportant, usually when this is not true.  
I wasn’t successful, so they looked down on me.      V P P n   look forward to  

1       phrasal verb   If you look forward to something that is going to happen, you want it to happen because you think you will enjoy it.  
He was looking forward to working with the new Prime Minister.      V P P -ing/n  

2       phrasal verb   If you say that someone is looking forward to something useful or positive, you mean they expect it to happen.  
Motor traders are looking forward to a further increase in vehicle sales.      V P P n   look into      phrasal verb   If a person or organization is looking into a possible course of action, a problem, or a situation, they are finding out about it and examining the facts relating to it.  
(=investigate)  
He had once looked into buying his own island off Nova Scotia…      V P -ing/n   look on      phrasal verb   If you look on while something happens, you watch it happening without taking part yourself.  
(=watch)  
About 150 local people looked on in silence as the two coffins were taken into the church.      V P   look on   , look upon      phrasal verb   If you look on or look upon someone or something in a particular way, you think of them in that way.  
(=consider)  
A lot of people looked on him as a healer…      V P n as n  
A lot of people look on it like that…      V P n prep/adv  
Employers look favourably on applicants who have work experience.      V adv P n   look out  
  →
  look 11   look out for      phrasal verb   If you look out for something, you pay attention to things so that you notice it if or when it occurs.  
(=watch for)  
Look out for special deals…      V P P n   look over      phrasal verb   If you look    something over, you examine it quite quickly in order to get a general idea of what it is like.      
They presented their draft to the president, who looked it over, nodded and signed it…      V n P  
He could have looked over the papers in less than ten minutes.      V P n (not pron)   look round  
  →
  look around   look through  

1       phrasal verb   If you look through a group of things, you examine each one so that you can find or choose the one that you want.  
(=go through)  
Peter starts looking through the mail as soon as the door shuts.      V P n  

2       phrasal verb   If you look through something that has been written or printed, you read it.  
He happened to be looking through the medical book `Gray’s Anatomy’ at the time.      V P n   look to  

1       phrasal verb   If you look to someone or something for a particular thing that you want, you expect or hope that they will provide it.  
The difficulties women encounter with their doctors partly explain why so many of us are looking to alternative therapies.      V P n  

2       phrasal verb   If you look to something that will happen in the future, you think about it.  
Looking to the future, though, we asked him what the prospects are for a vaccine to prevent infection in the first place.      V P n   look up  

1       phrasal verb   If you look up a fact or a piece of information, you find it out by looking in something such as a reference book or a list.  
I looked your address up in the personnel file…      V n P  
Many people have to look up the meaning of this word in the dictionary.      V P n (not pron)  

2       phrasal verb   If you look    someone up, you visit them after not having seen them for a long time.      
(=visit)  
I’ll try to look him up, ask him a few questions…      V n P  
She looked up some friends of bygone years.      V P n (not pron)  

3       phrasal verb   If a situation is looking up, it is improving.  
INFORMAL   usu cont  
(=improve)  
Things could be looking up in the computer industry.      V P   look upon  
  →
  look on   look up to      phrasal verb   If you look up to someone, especially someone older than you, you respect and admire them.  
(=admire)  
You’re a popular girl, Grace, and a lot of the younger ones look up to you.      V P P n  

1       v-link   You use look    when describing the appearance of a person or thing or the impression that they give.      
Sheila was looking miserable…      V adj  
He does not look the most reliable of animals…      V n  
They look like stars to the naked eye…      V like n  
He looked as if he was going to smile…      V like/as if  
Everybody in the club looked to be fourteen years old.      V to-inf  
♦
  -looking      comb in adj  
She was a very peculiar-looking woman.     

2       n-sing   If someone or something has a particular look   , they have a particular appearance or expression.      
with supp  
She had the look of someone deserted and betrayed…, When he came to decorate the kitchen, Kenneth opted for a friendly rustic look…     

3       n-plural   When you refer to someone’s looks, you are referring to how beautiful or ugly they are, especially how beautiful they are.  
I never chose people just because of their looks., …a young woman with wholesome good looks.     

4       v-link   You use look    when indicating what you think will happen in the future or how a situation seems to you.      
He had lots of time to think about the future, and it didn’t look good…      V adj  
Britain looks set to send a major force of over 100 tanks and supporting equipment…      V adj  
So far it looks like Warner Brothers’ gamble is paying off…      it V like/as if  
The Europeans had hoped to win, and, indeed, had looked like winning…      V like -ing/n  
The team had stormed into a two-goal lead and looked to be cruising to a third round place.      V to-inf  

5    You use expressions such as by the look of him and by the looks of it when you want to indicate that you are giving an opinion based on the appearance of someone or something.  
♦
by the look of/by the looks of      phrase  
He was not a well man by the look of him…, By the look of things, Mr Stone and company will stay busy.     

6    If you don’t like the look of something or someone, you feel that they may be dangerous or cause problems.  
♦
not like the look of sth/sb      phrase   V inflects, PHR n  
I don’t like the look of those clouds.     

7    If you ask what someone or something looks like, you are asking for a description of them.  
♦
what sb/sth looks like      phrase   V inflects