1.
to find information in a dictionary or online
“Look up this word in the dictionary.”
“I looked it up on Google.”
“Can you look up the address for me?”
Synonyms: to search for, to find
Phrasal verb
What does look up mean?
Meaning: to find information in a dictionary or online
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Look up = to find information in a dictionary or online (a word, a fact). Look up the word in the dictionary. It can also mean to raise your eyes. It is separable: look it up.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to raise your eyes
common“She looked up and smiled.”
3.
to get better (a situation)
figurative“Things are looking up.”
Word order
Separable
The object can go between the verb and the particle. With a pronoun (it, them), it always goes between.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- look up
- Past Simple:
- looked up
- Past participle:
- looked up
- -ing form:
- looking up
Common mistakes to avoid
With a pronoun: between the verb and the particle
Look it up ✓ / Look up it ❌. With a noun, both orders work: look up the word / look the word up.
Look up or look for?
Look up = to find a piece of information (in a dictionary, on Google). Look for = to try to find something lost or something you want. Look up the answer / Look for my keys.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: look up
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Look up: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
Understanding a rule is only the first step. On PLAY, you use it in real situations, at your own pace, until it becomes automatic.
Practise “look up” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersLook up: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
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English contestLook up: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does look up mean?+
Look up = (1) to find information (in a dictionary, on Google, in a list); (2) to raise your eyes; (3) to get better (a situation). The most common meaning is the first one.
Is look up separable?+
Yes. With a noun: look up the word / look the word up. With a pronoun: look it up ✓.
What is the difference between look up and look for?+
Look up = to find information in a dictionary, a website or a list. Look for = to try to find something that is lost or not there. I'm looking for my keys / I'm looking up the meaning.
What does “things are looking up” mean?+
It means that the situation is getting better. It is a positive expression: this is meaning 3, a figurative use.
Is it look it up or google it?+
Both are correct: Look it up on Google or Google it (here, google is a verb). Look it up is a little more neutral. Google it is very informal.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/look-up
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.