general words meaning to look or not look – synonyms and related words | Macmillan Dictionary

admire

verb

to look at someone or something that you think is beautiful or attractive

browse

verb

to look at things in a store without being sure whether you want to buy anything

cast

verb

to look at someone or something in a particular way

catch someone’s eye

phrase

to get someone’s attention by looking at them

check

verb

informal to look at or see someone or something

check out

phrasal verb

informal to look at someone or something to see whether you like them

consider

verb

formal to look at someone or something in a particular way

contemplate

verb

mainly literary to look at something or someone for a long time

drool

verb

informal to look at someone or something with great pleasure

drop

verb

if you drop your eyes or your gaze, you look downward

exchange

verb

to look at someone who is looking at you

eye

verb

to look at someone or something carefully

eyeball

verb

informal to look at someone or something directly and carefully

fix on

phrasal verb

if you fix your eyes or your attention on someone or something, you look straight at them and at nothing else

gape

verb

to look at something or someone with your mouth open because you are very surprised

gawk

verb

informal to look at someone or something for a long time in a rude or stupid way

glare

verb

to look at someone or something in a very angry way

goggle

verb

informal to look at someone or something in a way that shows you are very surprised or impressed by them

have one eye on

phrase

to keep looking at or paying attention to someone or something while you are doing something else

look at

phrasal verb

to direct your eyes toward someone or something so that you can see them

look/glance sideways

phrase

to look toward one side by moving your eyes only, without moving your head much

lower

verb

to look downward

peer

verb

to look very carefully, especially because something is difficult to see

preview

verb

to look at something, or to try it before deciding to use it, in order to check that it is appropriate

reexamine

verb

to look at or think about something carefully again

refer to

phrasal verb

formal to look at a book, map, etc. for information

regard

verb

mainly literary to look at someone or something in a particular way

rove

verb

mainly literary if your eyes rove around a place, you look all around it

rubberneck

verb

informal to look at something, especially a car accident, as you are passing it

scan

verb

to look at something very carefully, because you hope or expect to see a particular person or thing

settle

verb

mainly literary if your eyes settle on someone or something, you begin to look at them

settle on

phrasal verb

if your eyes settle on someone or something, you begin to look at them

shift

verb

to move your eyes in order to look at something else

shut

verb

if you shut your eyes, or if they shut, you close them so that you cannot see, often to avoid seeing something unpleasant

squint

verb

to close your eyes slightly and try to see something, either because of a bright light or because your eyes do not work very well

stare

verb

if a person’s eyes are staring, they are wide open and looking directly at you

sweep

verb

to look over every part of someone or something in one continuous movement of your eyes

take aim

phrase

to look at something and decide how to throw, swing, or kick in order to hit it

travel

verb

if your eyes travel from one place to another, you look at one thing and then another

view

verb

to look at or watch something

view

verb

formal to look at something carefully or in detail

wander

verb

if your eyes or your gaze wanders, you stop looking at one thing and start looking at another