Look sth out Meaning, Examples & How to Use in English

What Does “Look sth out” Mean?

“Look sth out” means to search for or find something, usually by checking in a book, list, or another source of information.

Introduction

The phrase “look sth out” is a common phrasal verb in English that means to search for specific information or an item, often by consulting a reference or checking carefully. When you “look something out,” you try to find details that you need, such as a word in a dictionary, a phone number in a directory, or a fact in a book. Understanding the look sth out meaning is useful because it helps you describe the action of searching for information clearly and naturally. This phrasal verb is practical and frequently used in daily conversations, making it a valuable expression for English learners.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: look something out
• Type: transitive
• Level: A2–B1 (Elementary to Intermediate)
• Short meaning: to search for information in a book, list, or database

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Look sth out” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object either between “look” and “out,” or after “out.”

• Look something out (object between verb and particle): Look the word out in the dictionary.
• Look out something (object after particle): Look out the word in the dictionary.

Both forms are correct, but the first form (separating the verb and particle with the object) is more common.

How to Use “Look sth out”?

Use “look sth out” when you want to describe the act of searching for specific information in a reference source. It is often used with books, dictionaries, lists, or online databases. The object (sth) is usually a specific item or piece of information you want to find.

For example, you can say, “I need to look the address out in the phone book,” or “Can you look the meaning out in the dictionary?”

Examples

Imagine you need to find the definition of a new word. You might say:

• “I will look the word out in the dictionary.”
• “She looked the train times out online before leaving.”
• “Please look the address out and tell me where the restaurant is.”
• “He looked the recipe out in the cookbook.”
• “We looked the opening hours out on their website.”

These examples show how the phrase naturally fits into everyday situations.

Common Mistakes

Sometimes, learners confuse “look sth out” with similar phrases or use it incorrectly.

• Incorrect: I look out the word in the dictionary. (Missing ‘ed’ for past tense or wrong word order)
• Correct: I looked the word out in the dictionary.
• Incorrect: She looked for the word out in the dictionary.
• Correct: She looked the word out in the dictionary.

Remember, “look sth out” does not need “for.” Also, use the correct tense based on the context.

Differences / Synonyms

“Look sth out” is similar to “look for” but they are not the same. “Look for” means searching or trying to find something, while “look sth out” means finding something by checking a reference.

• Look for: I am looking for my keys. (Searching)
• Look sth out: I looked the address out in the phone book. (Finding information)

Another similar phrase is “check out,” which means to examine or investigate but usually informally. For example, “Check out this website.”

Common Collocations

Here are some common objects used with “look sth out”:

• Word: Look the word out in the dictionary (meaning of a word)
• Address: Look the address out in the phone book (location details)
• Information: Look the information out online (data or facts)
• Number: Look the number out in the directory (contact number)
• Recipe: Look the recipe out in the cookbook (cooking instructions)

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of look sth out:

• Look To Sth
• Look Out Over Sth
• Look Sb Over
• Look Round You
• Look Into Sth

Real-life Dialogue

Here’s a short conversation using “look sth out”:

Anna: Do you know the opening time for the museum?

Ben: No, but I can look it out online now.

Anna: Great! Thanks.

Practice

Try to complete the sentences with the correct form of “look sth out”:

• Can you ______ the phone number ______ in the directory?
• I ______ the meaning ______ in the dictionary yesterday.
• She always ______ new recipes ______ in cookbooks.

FAQs

• Q: Is “look sth out” separable?

  A: Yes, the object can go between “look” and “out” or after “out.”

• Q: Can I use “look out” without an object?

  A: No, “look out” alone means “be careful,” but “look sth out” needs an object.
• Q: What is the difference between “look for” and “look out”?

  A: “Look for” means to search for something, while “look sth out” means to find information by checking a source.

• Q: Is “look sth out” formal or informal?

  A: It is neutral and suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
• Q: Can I use “look sth out” with digital sources?

  A: Yes, you can look information out online or on websites.