The difference between Appear and Look

When used as verbs, appear means to come or be in sight, whereas look means to try to see, to pay attention to with one's eyes.


Look is also interjection with the meaning: pay attention.

Look is also noun with the meaning: the action of looking.

check bellow for the other definitions of Appear and Look

  1. Appear as a verb (intransitive):

    To come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible.

  2. Appear as a verb (intransitive):

    To come before the public.

    Examples:

    "A great writer appeared at that time."

  3. Appear as a verb (intransitive):

    To stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, etc.; to present oneself as a party or advocate before a court, or as a person to be tried.

  4. Appear as a verb (intransitive):

    To become visible to the apprehension of the mind; to be known as a subject of observation or comprehension, or as a thing proved; to be obvious or manifest.

  5. Appear as a verb (intransitive, copulative):

    To seem; to have a certain semblance; to look.

    Examples:

    "He appeared quite happy with the result."

  6. Appear as a verb (transitive):

    To bring into view.

  1. Look as a verb (intransitive, often, with "at"):

    To try to see, to pay attention to with one's eyes.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: Thesaurus:look"

    "troponyms glance Thesaurus:stare"

    "'Look at my new car!"

    "Don’t look in the closet."

  2. Look as a verb:

    To appear, to seem.

    Examples:

    "It looks as if it’s going to rain soon."

  3. Look as a verb (copulative):

    To give an appearance of being.

    Examples:

    "That painting looks nice."

  4. Look as a verb (intransitive, often, with "for"):

    To search for, to try to find.

  5. Look as a verb:

    To face or present a view.

    Examples:

    "The hotel looks over the valleys of the HinduKush."

  6. Look as a verb:

    To expect or anticipate.

    Examples:

    "I look to each hour for my lover’s arrival."

    "rfquotek Shakespeare"

  7. Look as a verb (transitive):

    To express or manifest by a look.

  8. Look as a verb (transitive, often, with "to"):

    To make sure of, to see to.

  9. Look as a verb (dated, sometimes, figurative):

    To show oneself in looking.

    Examples:

    "'Look out of the window [i.e. lean out] while I speak to you."

  10. Look as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To look at; to turn the eyes toward.

  11. Look as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To seek; to search for.

  12. Look as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To influence, overawe, or subdue by looks or presence.

    Examples:

    "to look down opposition"

  13. Look as a verb (baseball):

    To look at a pitch as a batter without swinging at it.

    Examples:

    "The fastball caught him looking.'"

    "Clem Labine struck Mays out looking at his last at bat."

    "It's unusual for Mays to strike out looking. He usually takes a cut at it."

  1. Look as a noun:

    The action of looking; an attempt to see.

    Examples:

    "Let’s have a look under the hood of the car."

  2. Look as a noun (often plural):

    Physical appearance, visual impression.

    Examples:

    "She got her mother’s looks."

    "I don’t like the look of the new design."

  3. Look as a noun:

    A facial expression.

    Examples:

    "He gave me a dirty look."

    "If looks could kill ..."

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