really looking forward

USAGE SUMMARY

"really looking forward" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to express excitement or anticipation for something that is going to happen in the future. Example: "I'm really looking forward to my vacation next week. I can't wait to relax on the beach and explore a new city."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Really looking forward to Nashville.

The New York Times

"She was really looking forward to coming.

The New York Times

"We were really looking forward to it".

The New York Times - Sports

He's really looking forward to it.

The New York Times

"We're really looking forward to that game.

Independent

So I'm really looking forward to that".

The New York Times - Sports

I'm really looking forward to the Belmont".

Independent

I'm really, really looking forward to it".

Independent

So I'm really looking forward to it.

The New York Times

"I'm really looking forward to being involved".

The Guardian

"I'm really looking forward to getting home.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing anticipation in formal settings, consider stronger synonyms like "greatly anticipating" to convey a more polished tone.

Common error

While "really looking forward" is widely acceptable, avoid overuse in very formal or academic writing. Opt for alternatives such as "greatly anticipate" or "eagerly await" to maintain a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "really looking forward" functions as an adjective phrase expressing anticipation or excitement about a future event. As evidenced by Ludwig, it is frequently used to convey a positive expectation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "really looking forward" is a common and grammatically correct way to express excitement or anticipation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread use. While versatile, consider the context and audience, opting for more formal alternatives like "greatly anticipating" in professional settings. This phrase effectively conveys positive expectations across various domains, from news to personal communications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

looking forward with great interest

Elaborates on the original phrase by specifying that the anticipation is accompanied by great interest.

greatly anticipating

Substitutes "really" with "greatly" to amplify the degree of anticipation with a more formal tone.

highly anticipating

Replaces "really" with "highly", again increasing the intensity of the expectation in a slightly more formal way.

keenly anticipating

Substitutes "really" with "keenly", enhancing the sense of eagerness and interest.

eagerly anticipating

Replaces the phrasal verb "looking forward" with a more formal participle, emphasizing the eagerness.

anticipating with pleasure

Adds a nuance of enjoyment to the anticipation, suggesting a delightful expectation.

awaiting with excitement

Replaces the entire phrase with a more descriptive expression of waiting with excitement.

enthusiastically awaiting

Combines anticipation with enthusiasm, altering the tone slightly to be more expressive.

can't wait for

Uses a more informal and emphatic expression to convey strong anticipation.

excited about

Offers a simpler and more direct way to express excitement about something coming.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "really looking forward to"?

You can use alternatives like "eagerly anticipating", "greatly anticipating", or "excited about" depending on the context.

Is "really looking forward" appropriate for formal emails?

While acceptable, it may be better to use a slightly more formal phrase like "greatly anticipating" or "keenly anticipating" to maintain a professional tone.

How to use "really looking forward" in a sentence?

You can use it to express excitement about future events, such as "I am "really looking forward" to the conference next week" or "We are "really looking forward" to your visit".

What's the difference between "really looking forward to" and "looking forward to"?

Adding "really" intensifies the feeling of anticipation. "I'm "really looking forward" to the concert" suggests a stronger level of excitement than simply "I'm looking forward to the concert".