Synonyms of looking for

looking for

phrase

present participle of look for

1

as in pursuing

to go in search of

She had been looking for a job for months.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pursuing
• seeking
• shopping (for)
• searching (for or out)
• chasing (down)
• foraging (for)
• casting about (for)
• looking up
• casting around (for)
• hunting
• ferreting (out)
• rooting (out)
• questing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• losing
• hiding
• ignoring
• neglecting

2

as in wooing

to act so as to make (something) more likely

They were just looking for trouble.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wooing
• asking (for)
• inviting
• flirting (with)
• fishing (for)
• seeking
• courting
• angling (for)
• searching
• hunting
• tempting
• provoking

3

as in expecting

to believe in the future occurrence of (something)

They were looking for their first win of the season.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• expecting
• awaiting
• anticipating
• watching (for)
• hoping (for)
• waiting (for)
• depending (on or upon)
• counting (on or upon)
• relying (on or upon)
• contemplating
• banking on
• eyeing
• predicting
• envisioning
• foreseeing
• envisaging
• assuming
• viewing
• prophesying
• foretelling
• presupposing
• presuming

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• questioning
• doubting

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of looking for

If a friend from out of town visits and is looking for true, New York-style pizza, Williamsburg Pizza is at the top of my list of recommendations. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026

Finance leaders can identify that shift by looking for several signals within the company’s existing program. — Randy Sadler, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

The same pattern can be seen in the decades physicists have spent looking for the constituents of dark matter. — Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

The Blue Jackets and the Islanders are still looking for breakthroughs, too. — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Wilson’s 2017 interpretation of the 2,800-year-old poem — the first major English translation published by a woman — is widely considered a faithful, top-notch rendition, particularly for readers looking for an accessible take on Homer’s work. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Assassination-for-hire is the tragicomic domain of people looking for someone to kill a spouse or a rival but getting blackmailed by teenagers pretending to be hit men in the process. — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026

Managing partner Gaetano Guarducci said Sant Ambroeus had been looking for the right Beverly Hills location for years before securing the former Il Fornaio space at North Beverly Drive and Dayton Way. — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

Travelers looking for an in-state getaway can also book vacation packages from Denver that combine the train with hotel stays and attractions in Glenwood Springs. — Jocelyn Rowley, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026