look through

phrasal verb

looked through; looking through; looks through
1
: to read or briefly examine some of the pages of (a book, magazine, etc.)
She was looking through a magazine as she waited in the doctor's office.
2
: to look at the different parts of (a collection or group of things)
I looked through all his letters.
3
: to place one's eyes so as to see through (something)
look through a telescope
4
: to pretend not to see or recognize (someone) in a rude or unfriendly way
We used to be best friends but when she passed me on the street yesterday she looked (right/straight) through me without even saying hello!

Examples of look through in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The alarm spurred jail staff to search the facility as investigators looked through surveillance video footage. Alex Sundby, CBS News, 21 May 2025 British historians were able to verify the document’s true authenticity after an academic stumbled across the item while looking through Harvard Law School’s online archives. Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 15 May 2025 Reboots turned into a phenomenon and everybody looked through all the old shows considering what to bring back. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025 During these inspections, travelers may be questioned or their electronic devices looked through as a way to confirm their identity and reasons for being in the U.S. Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for look through

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Look through.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/look%20through. Accessed 31 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!