What Does “Look up to sb” Mean?
“Look up to sb” means to admire or respect someone, often because of their qualities or achievements.
Introduction
The phrasal verb “look up to sb” is commonly used in English to express admiration or respect for a person. When you look up to someone, it means you see them as a role model or someone worthy of your respect. This phrase is often used in both formal and informal settings to describe feelings toward family members, teachers, celebrities, or mentors. Understanding the “Look up to sb meaning” helps you communicate your respect for others clearly and naturally in conversation.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: look up to somebody
- Type: transitive
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to admire or respect someone
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Look up to sb” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means you cannot separate the verb and the particle with an object.
- Correct: I look up to my older brother.
- Incorrect: I look my older brother up to.
Pattern:
- Subject + look up to + object (person)
How to Use “Look up to sb”?
Use “look up to sb” when you want to express admiration or respect for someone. It usually refers to people who inspire you, such as family members, teachers, or public figures. You can use it in positive conversations about role models or people you trust and respect.
Examples
Here are some natural sentences using “Look up to sb in a sentence”:
- I have always looked up to my grandmother because of her kindness.
- Many young athletes look up to famous sports stars for motivation.
- She looks up to her teacher for guidance in difficult subjects.
- We all look up to him as a leader in our community.
- He looks up to his father because of his hard work and honesty.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse the word order or use incorrect prepositions. Here are examples to help you avoid common mistakes:
- Incorrect: I look my coach up to.
- Correct: I look up to my coach.
- Incorrect: She looks up her mentor to.
- Correct: She looks up to her mentor.
Differences / Synonyms
Other phrases like “admire,” “respect,” or “idolize” have similar meanings but differ slightly from “look up to sb.”
- Admire: General feeling of respect or approval, not always implying role model status.
- Respect: More formal, can be about authority or rules, not always admiration.
- Idolize: Stronger than “look up to,” often meaning to worship or idealize someone.
“Look up to sb” usually implies a healthy admiration and desire to learn from someone.
Common Collocations
Here are common words used with “look up to sb” and their meanings:
- Parents: People often look up to their parents for guidance.
- Teacher: Students look up to teachers for knowledge and support.
- Leader: Citizens look up to leaders for inspiration and direction.
- Role model: Someone who is admired and copied.
- Mentor: A trusted advisor or guide.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of look up to sb:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “look up to sb”:
Anna: Who do you look up to the most?
Ben: I really look up to my older sister because she is very hardworking.
Anna: That’s great! I look up to my teacher for her patience and kindness.
Practice
Complete the sentence with the correct form of “look up to sb”:
- I always _______ my coach because he teaches me a lot.
- Many kids _______ their favorite athletes as role models.
Answers: look up to; look up to
FAQs
- Q: Can I use “look up to” with things or only people?
A: It is mainly used with people, not things. - Q: Is “look up to” formal or informal?
A: It can be used in both formal and informal situations. - Q: What is the difference between “look up to” and “look after”?
A: “Look up to” means to admire someone, while “look after” means to take care of someone. - Q: Can “look up to” be used in the past tense?
A: Yes, for example: “I looked up to my teacher when I was a student.” - Q: Is “look up to” separable?
A: No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb.
