be on the lookout for
idiom
variants
or keep a lookout for
: to watch or search for (something or someone) : be alert to
Be on the lookout for flooded roads after heavy rainstorms.
The police officer walked through the neighborhood, keeping a (sharp) lookout for any suspicious activity.
Examples of be on the lookout for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If your building has a common area, go there with a book and be on the lookout for anyone approachable.
—
Judith Martin, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Police are searching for three suspects and are asking the public to be on the lookout for a silver sedan believed to be connected to the shooting.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
The alerts also prime health departments to be on the lookout for unusual disease clusters.
—Rob Stein, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Residents should be on the lookout for too much snow and ice that has accumulated on the roof or has too much condensation in the attic.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for be on the lookout for
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Judith Martin, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Police are searching for three suspects and are asking the public to be on the lookout for a silver sedan believed to be connected to the shooting.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
The alerts also prime health departments to be on the lookout for unusual disease clusters.
—Rob Stein, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Residents should be on the lookout for too much snow and ice that has accumulated on the roof or has too much condensation in the attic.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for be on the lookout for
Cite this Entry
“Be on the lookout for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/be%20on%20the%20lookout%20for. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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