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look forward

/lʊk ˌfɔrwərd/
/lʊk ˈfɔwəd/
IPA guide

Other forms: looking forward; looked forward; looks forward

When you eagerly anticipate something, you look forward to it. Most little kids look forward to their birthdays, while most aging adults look forward to retirement.

If someone invites you over for dinner and says, "I look forward to seeing you," it's a slightly formal way for them to say, "I can't wait to see you!" or "I'm so excited about you coming over!" You might look forward to the weekend or look forward to the summer. Forward comes from the Old English word forewearde, which means both "in front" and "toward the future."

Definitions of look forward
  1. verb
    expect or hope for
    see moresee less
    type of:
    await, expect, look, wait
    look forward to the probable occurrence of
Pronunciation
US
/lʊk ˌfɔrwərd/
UK
/lʊk ˈfɔwəd/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘look forward'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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