What Does "look up to" Mean?
- The phrase "look up to" means to admire and respect someone. It implies that you see the person as a role model or someone worthy of emulation.
- The meaning is semi-idiomatic. While "look up" literally means to direct your gaze upwards, the addition of "to" creates a new meaning related to admiration and respect.
- The register is neutral. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
How to Use It
- Grammatical pattern: verb + particle + preposition. Specifically, it functions as a transitive phrasal verb.
- Typical objects: The object is usually a person or a group of people. It can also be a quality that a person embodies. The phrase often appears with personal pronouns (him, her, them) or nouns referring to individuals or groups.
- The components can be separated. You can say "look [someone] up to," placing the object pronoun or noun between "look" and "up."
- What sounds unnatural: Using "at" instead of "to" (e.g., "look up at someone" implies physically looking upwards, not admiration). Using an inanimate object as the direct object is also incorrect (e.g., "I look up to success" is unnatural; instead, "I look up to people who achieve success" is correct).
Real-World Examples
These examples are sourced from look up to on Ludwig.guru.
"Everyone wants someone to look up to!" — WikiHow
"People look up to you." — The New York Times - Sports
""I really look up to him." — The New York Times - Sports
"He's someone I look up to"." — Independent
"You're the man we look up to." — The Guardian
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/look+up+to
Similar Phrases and Alternatives
| Phrase |
Context |
| admire |
A more direct and concise synonym. |
| respect |
Emphasizes deference and high regard. |
| idolize |
Suggests a very high level of admiration, potentially bordering on excessive. |
| revere |
Implies deep respect and honor, often used in formal contexts. |
| think highly of |
A more general expression of positive regard. |
| hold in high esteem |
More formal way of saying you admire someone. |
| have a great respect for |
Emphasizes the feeling of respect. |
Common Mistakes
- Learners often confuse "look up to" with "look down on," which has the opposite meaning (to despise or feel superior to someone).
- Using the wrong preposition, such as "look up at" instead of "look up to," changes the meaning to physically looking upwards.
- Separating the phrasal verb incorrectly. While separation is possible with an object pronoun (e.g., "look him up to" is incorrect, but "look him up to" is correct), separating it with a noun is less common and can sound awkward.
Quick-Reference Summary
| Expression |
Meaning |
Grammatical Pattern |
Register |
| look up to |
To admire and respect someone |
verb + particle + preposition (transitive phrasal verb) |
Neutral |
FAQs
Can you separate the parts of "look up to"?
Yes, "look up to" is a separable phrasal verb, but only in specific cases. You can separate it when the object is a pronoun, like in the sentence "I look him up to." However, it's generally more common and natural to say "I look up to him."
How is "look up to" different from "look down on"?
"Look up to" and "look down on" are antonyms. "Look up to" means to admire and respect someone, while "look down on" means to feel superior to or despise someone.
Is it correct to say "I look up at him" when I mean I admire him?
No, it's not correct. While "look up at him" is grammatically correct, it implies that you are physically looking upwards at someone. To express admiration, you must use "look up to", as in "I look up to him."