lookup

1 of 2

noun

look·​up ˈlu̇k-ˌəp How to pronounce lookup (audio)
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

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
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.
Noun
Read the full report for Bamboo Penny’s by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2025 Ultimately, more than 5,000 new words appear in the upcoming Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, as well as 1,000 new phrases and idioms, enhanced entries for the top lookups and more than 20,000 additional usage examples for students, professionals and word-lovers across the globe. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
From ’20s dandy pin curls on Quinta Brunson and Serena Williams at the Met Gala to Keke Palmer’s ginger pixie, the crop cut has looked up to be this year’s most trending style. Essence, 10 Oct. 2025 As Alba looks up, Messi has escaped from Timor while the centre-backs are occupied with Villa and Alexis Sanchez. Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lookup

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1948, in the meaning defined above

Verb

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lookup was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lookup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lookup. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

lookup

1 of 2 noun
look·​up ˈlu̇k-ˌəp How to pronounce lookup (audio)
: 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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