One thing that we like to do on this blog is consider the many different ways that we express the same thing in English. This week we’re focusing on looking. There are a lot of synonyms for the verb ‘look’, but as we observed in a previous post, ‘Many words in English have the same basic or overall meaning and yet are significantly different for one or more reasons.’
Let’s start with verbs that mean ‘look carefully’. If you inspect something, you look at it carefully in order to find out information: She got out of the car and inspected it for damage. (You might also inspect something at work by looking carefully at it to find out if the quality is good enough.) The verb examine is similar. A doctor examines a patient when they look carefully at their body to find out whether they are well. ‘Examine’ is also used outside of a medical context, meaning ‘to look carefully in order to find out information’: Investigators are examining the wreckage to determine the cause of the crash. / He leaned over and examined the front wheel of his bike.
If you peer, you also look carefully, but this time because something is hard to see: ‘How deep is it?’ she asked, peering into the hole.
To survey, again, is to look carefully, but this verb is usually used of large areas: We sat at the back, surveying the room.
If you scan something (again, often a large area), you look carefully for a particular thing: She scanned the crowd, hoping to see his face. / We scanned the horizon for any sign of a boat.
A different set of ‘look’ synonyms is used for ‘looking for a long time at the same thing’. Stare is the most common verb for this. Don’t stare at people, honey – it’s rude! / He sat, staring into the distance. Two informal verbs that mean ‘stare in a stupid or rude way’ are gawk and (UK) gawp: No one did anything to help. They just sat there, gawking at me! The verb gaze also means ‘to look for a long time’, but it is more positive in its associations. You usually gaze at someone or something attractive or someone that you love: I caught her gazing at a baby at the table next to us. You also gaze when you are thinking about something else: He spends ages gazing out of the window when he should be working. A phrase used in this area is can’t take your eyes off. If you can’t take your eyes off someone or something, you cannot stop looking at them, often because they are very attractive: He can’t take his eyes off you!
Next month we’ll consider more synonyms for ‘look’, including words for looking briefly at something.
The article is awesome! I love it!
I usually find myself gazing at my daughter .I can’t take my eyes off.
Thank you.
I really enjoyed your article. I though i knew these words but i realized that i didn’t.
How about gape and squint
Good additions both, Noman, but I have to draw the line somewhere! Best wishes.
Congratulations to you Cambridge staff on the work you do.
From someone living in Togo(African country).
My desire is to speak English like a native speaker
The article is pretty informative. Good job , Google.
great! I love it
gawk is no more a synonym for look then slap is for stroke
Good explanation! thank you so much!
Reblogged this on MCN and commented:
Wonderful knowledge, never you miss any of these teachings.
Well done..! Excellent article Mrs Woodford! I’ve also heard many Brits using the word gawp as well.
This was very helpful . I set camp
On the Cambridge dictionary,
Because it is my favorite. Very
Well written, layer out and to the
Point.
Thank you.
Very useful article .
Nice n informative
Sorry If this my mistake, but I am wondering whether It’s the true structure when you said “….whether they are well” in your article. I’m not a English native speaker, just an Vietnamese person
Hello there! Yes, it’s correct. Best wishes!
Here are the branches of profound knowledge for having an exellent command of language. Many thanks to You.
Pleasurable reading and learning!
Thanks a million!
Very informative article, and indeed it will in turn give students an comprehensive insight to dig into words that share same meaning.
amazinng
great
Jàdore votre publication. Merci beacoup encore.
Many thanks for all your lovely comments!
Gazing up at the stars
None of this has clarified the unconscious gesture of raising ones hand to ones eyes as one looks into the distance. What is this called?