outlook

noun

out·​look ˈau̇t-ˌlu̇k 

1

a

: a place offering a view

b

: a view from a particular place

2

: point of view

a positive outlook on life

3

: the act of looking out

4

: the prospect for the future

… the outlook for steel demand in the United States

—Wall Street Jour.

Synonyms of outlook

• overlook
• observatory
• lookout
• tower

Choose the Right Synonym for outlook

prospect, outlook, anticipation, foretaste mean an advance realization of something to come.

prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern.

the prospect of a quiet weekend

outlook suggests a forecasting of the future.

a favorable outlook for the economy

anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen.

the anticipation of her arrival

foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming.

the frost was a foretaste of winter

Examples of outlook in a Sentence

The students all seemed to have the same outlook.

Despite our differences in outlook, we got along together very well.

scenic outlooks along the highway

Recent Examples on the Web

Sube Shoten, a tofu maker founded in 1877 during Japan’s Meiji era, reportedly ceased operations in May and began preparing to file for bankruptcy as low profit margins and a recent surge in raw-material costs clouded its business outlook. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026

Gonzales’s outlook is a Democratic gain of seven to 15 House seats and three to five Senate seats; Cook sees the House at risk for Republicans and says a two-seat Senate loss would be the best outcome for the GOP. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026

These are two teams trending in the opposite direction, but all the Horned Frogs need is one victory to change the outlook of the season. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Oct. 2026

The weekend outlook for the Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway, Josh Hartnett movie is $30M+. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for outlook

• betook
• casebook
• chapbook
• checkbook
• chinook
• codebook
• cookbook
• fishhook
• forsook
• guidebook
• handbook
• logbook

Kids Definition

outlook

noun

out·​look ˈau̇t-ˌlu̇k 

1

a

: a place offering a view

b

: a view from a particular place

2

: point of view

3

: conditions that seem to lie ahead

the outlook for business