look around me vs look behind me

Both phrases are correct, but they convey different meanings. 'Look around me' means to look in all directions around oneself, while 'look behind me' means to look specifically behind oneself. The choice between the two depends on the specific context and the direction the speaker wants to emphasize.

Last updated: March 24, 2024 • 1358 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate looking in all directions around oneself.

"look around me"

This phrase is used when someone wants to emphasize looking at everything surrounding them. It implies a 360-degree view of the surroundings.

Examples:

I stopped for a moment to look around me and take in the beauty of the landscape.
When you enter the room, make sure to look around you to get a sense of the layout.
He felt a bit lost, so he decided to look around him to find familiar landmarks.

Show examples from the web [+]

I look around me and I see... such struggle everywhere.
I look around me and all I see are surfaces without depth.
Ladies and gentlemen, when I look around me, I get a sense that one of Murphy's laws is in operation; that is, the more important the issue, the less attention gets paid to it.
But sometimes, when I look around me and see so much loss, so much destruction and so much sadness, something tells me perhaps our ability to really feel life has vanished along with all the rest.
'Cause I look around me and I see the finest people I've ever had the opportunity to work with, people who understand the concept of team, people who know what it means to sacrifice for one another, bring out the best in one another...
I look around me at home and I see a confident, pluralistic society far removed from the introspective sectarian Ireland in which our parents and grandparents were raised.
I look around me at home and I see a confident, pluralistic society far removed from the introspective, sectarian Ireland in which our parents and grandparents were raised.
I look around me in this town and I see John and Cynthia and you, and I...
I'm sorry, I know this is going to sound terrible, but sometimes I look around me and see how this is affecting everybody, and I just think maybe the two of you are better off...
I look around me and I see a confident pluralistic society far removed from the introspective sectarian island in which our parents and grandparents were raised.

Alternatives:

look around
look around yourself
look around the room
look around the area
look around the corner

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate looking specifically behind oneself.

"look behind me"

This phrase is used when someone wants to focus on looking in the direction opposite to where they are facing. It implies checking what is behind the person.

Examples:

I heard a noise and quickly looked behind me to see who was there.
Before crossing the street, always remember to look behind you for oncoming traffic.
She felt a presence and nervously looked behind her to make sure no one was following.

Show examples from the web [+]

You want to take a look behind me, pal?
I want to able to look behind me if the opportunity presents itself.
If you look behind me here, you can see that the fire department, the sheriff, the police...
I am so far past perturbed that I couldn't look behind me and see perturbed with a telescope.
And in a moment, I will turn around and look behind me - and just for a few seconds - and I will memorize every animal on those tables in order.
Now, look behind me, you'll see the Los Angeles apartment building where

Alternatives:

look back
look over my shoulder
check behind me
glance behind me
turn around and look

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look around me vs look behind me

"look around me"

"look behind me"

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