WordLens

look through

1 of 1verb
/lʊk θru/
Forms:looks through,looking through,looked through,looked through
1

to quickly read or examine something

transitive
  • The librarian looked through the catalog to find the book I was requesting.
  • I will look through my notes before taking the test.
  • I'm going to look through my emails before starting my workday.
  • The detective looked through the crime scene photos to identify any potential clues.
  • The teacher is looking through the students' notebooks to check their progress.
2

to observe something on the other side of a narrow opening or space

transitive
  • I'm looking through the binoculars at the birds in the trees.
  • She's looking through the magnifying glass to examine the tiny details of the insect.
  • They're looking through the window at the people walking by on the street.
  • I looked through the peephole to see who was at the door.
  • They looked through the microscope to observe the microscopic organisms in the water sample.
3

to examine something carefully in order to find something specific

transitive
  • I'm looking through my closet for a pair of jeans to wear.
  • He looked through the drawers to find his grandma’s old photo album.
  • They’re looking through the receipts to find the one for the electronics purchase.
  • She’s looking through the boxes of clothes to find an outfit for her party.
  • I’m looking through the pile of papers to find my lost document.
4

to intentionally avoid acknowledging or noticing someone who is present and visible

transitive
  • She's looking through him as if he's invisible.
  • I looked through her as if she wasn't even there.
  • He looked through his coworker, pretending not to recognize him.
  • They're looking through the crowd, pretending not to see their old friends.