lookup

1 of 2

noun

look·​up ˈlu̇k-ˌəp 

variants or look-up

: an act, process, or instance of looking something up (as in a reference work or listing)

dictionary lookups

a price look-up

look up

2 of 2

verb

looked up; looking up; looks up

intransitive verb

1

: to cheer up

look up—things are not all bad

2

: to improve in prospects or conditions

business is looking up

transitive verb

1

: to search for in or as if in a reference work

look up an address

2

: to seek out especially for a brief visit

look me up when you're here

Synonyms of lookup

Verb

• pursue
• seek
• search (for or out)

Examples of lookup in a Sentence

Verb

be sure to look me up if you're ever in town

by the next morning, the skies had begun to clear and we were looking up

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the meantime, drivers can also confirm whether their specific vehicle is included in this recall and find more information using the NHTSA's website and/or Subaru's recall lookup platform. — ABC News, 14 July 2026

The fullr report can be found on the Kansas inspection lookup. — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026

Verb

Of course, they’re devastated, and so is Clark, who is left with an ideal, a paragon of self-sacrifice, a superhero to remember and look up to, but not a friend. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Viewing instructions for Epic Universe theme park’s new nighttime spectacular could well be to look up, down and all around. — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1948, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

lookup

1 of 2 noun

look·​up ˈlu̇k-ˌəp 

: the process or an instance of looking something up

especially : the process of matching by computer the words of a text with material stored in memory

look up

2 of 2 verb

: to seek for or out

look up a word in the dictionary

look up a friend