looks

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'looks' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the way something appears, for example: "That car looks brand new."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"When you have jets being flown up the English Channel, when you have submarines in the North Sea, it looks to me like it's warming up".

The Guardian

It certainly looks that way.

The New York Times - Sports

"This law looks like it's going to be struck down.

The New York Times

And the looming combination of tax increases and spending cuts looks easily large enough to push America back into recession.

The New York Times

"It looks like it will have been down to both human and mechanical error.

The Guardian

But it's just not good for our country's political culture, which looks ever more degraded.

The Economist

It looks like housing benefit will rise far less than rents do in many areas.

The Guardian - Opinion

But after five years of hard labour, staying in looks like a life sentence without remission.

The Guardian - Business

The Susa group (made famous in the film Gorillas in the Mist) recently split, which means the creation of a new, independent gorilla family group in the Mt Karisimbi area looks likely.

The Guardian - Travel

The small grey-bricked building in lower Manhattan looks like just another public (state) high school, but behind its light blue doors a new approach to education is being pioneered.

The Guardian

Smith's work explores the difficulties faced by the remote community and also looks at the cultural fabric that remains in the face of those challenges.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "looks" to describe someone's appearance, be mindful of potential biases. Focus on objective qualities rather than subjective judgments to avoid unintended offense.

Common error

Ensure the verb "looks" agrees with the subject. Use "look" for plural subjects (e.g., "They look happy") and "looks" for singular subjects (e.g., "He looks happy").

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "looks" is as a verb, specifically the third-person singular present form of "look". It is used to describe appearance, impression, or anticipation. Ludwig examples confirm its versatility in various sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "looks" is a versatile verb commonly used to describe appearance, impression, or expectation. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage across various contexts, particularly in news and media. While generally neutral in register, awareness of subject-verb agreement and potential biases when describing appearance is crucial. Alternatives like "appears" and "seems" offer similar meanings with slight nuances. Overall, "looks" is a reliable and widely understood term in English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

appears

Focuses on the visual impression or outward presentation.

seems

Emphasizes a subjective assessment or feeling about something.

gives the impression

Highlights the creation of a particular feeling or understanding.

suggests

Implies a possibility or hint based on observation.

resembles

Indicates a similarity in appearance to something else.

presents as

Highlights how something is outwardly shown or displayed.

has the appearance of

Focuses on the external characteristics that can be seen.

is suggestive of

Implies a subtle indication or hint through its appearance.

conveys the idea

Emphasizes the message or thought communicated through appearance.

evinces

A more formal term suggesting a clear indication of something.

FAQs

How can I use "looks" in a sentence?

"Looks" can describe appearance (e.g., "She looks tired"), impression (e.g., "It looks promising"), or expectation (e.g., "Everything "looks set" for success").

What are some synonyms for "looks" when describing appearance?

Alternatives include "appears", "seems", or "resembles" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "he looks well" or "he looks good"?

Both are acceptable, but "he looks good" is more common in contemporary usage. "He looks well" is more formal and often implies he is in good health.

How does the meaning of "looks" change with different prepositions?

"Looks at" implies observation, while "looks like" suggests resemblance or similarity. For example, "He "looks at" the painting" versus "He "looks like" his father".