look up vs look down

The phrases 'look up' and 'look down' are both correct, but they have opposite meanings. 'Look up' means to direct your gaze upward, while 'look down' means to direct your gaze downward. The choice between the two depends on the direction you want to indicate.

Last updated: March 24, 2024 • 819 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"look up"

Use 'look up' when you want to indicate that someone is directing their gaze upward.

Examples:

She looked up at the stars in the night sky.
He looked up from his book and smiled at me.
Don't forget to look up when you're walking in the city to see the tall buildings.
The child looked up at the airplane flying overhead.
I need to look up the definition of this word in the dictionary.

Show examples from the web [+]

No, I had Cho look up her address.
I need you to look up arson cases in Fredericksburg.
Good, get her to look up previous assaults.
You can look up the marriage certificate online.
Please look up a number for me
Okay, look up large mud huts.
There's somebody I need to look up.
Dean, look up Edward Durbin II.
I found the chapter Katrina told us to look up.
Anybody can look up a flight plan online.
Went to look up old World War II buddies or something.
You just told me to look up an old case.
Okay, so I need to look up the date...
When you get to Stanton, look up Barney.
We got to look up the specs on the windmill.
Listen, I'm sending you some symbols to look up.
No, look up where rainbows end.
He'll have to look up the prescription.
Some inflorescences look up, others are hanging.
Please look up Tolle and DBT radical acceptance.

Alternatives:

gaze upward
raise your eyes
look above
direct your gaze upward
search for

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"look down"

Use 'look down' when you want to indicate that someone is directing their gaze downward.

Examples:

She looked down at her feet as she walked.
He looked down at the map to find their location.
Don't look down while climbing the stairs; it's safer to watch your step.
The teacher looked down at the students sitting in front of her.
I need to look down to see what's on the floor.

Show examples from the web [+]

You look down and it's not pretty.
Come here to the edge and you can look down.
All elegant brides must look down.
Don't look down, Tamale.
Volunteers minors for rescue eagerly concerns can look down their comrades.
Please look down and recognise us poor sinners.
Gently descending, you don't look down.
People have to learn not to look down.
Naturally, we always must look down.
Guys, be sure to look down the whole time.
Don't look down, Murakami-san.
Now look down and to your left.
So you look down and you see a tortoise.
Can't look down from high up.
I am even scared to look down.
I mean, I sometimes look down when walk.
You look down the whole time.
I look down then this bed sheet.
Should I turn away if you guys want to look down...
I get queasy when I look down there.

Alternatives:

gaze downward
lower your eyes
look below
direct your gaze downward
inspect

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look up vs look down

"look up"

"look down"

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