Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):
   • To think about or remember something that happened in the past: To direct one's thoughts to a previous time or event, often with reflection or nostalgia.
   • To turn one's head to see what is behind: To glance or gaze backward over one's shoulder.

Usage

• The verb look back is used to describe the act of reflecting on past experiences or, literally, turning to see behind oneself. It is often followed by the preposition on or upon when referring to reflection (e.g., ). For the literal meaning, it is often followed by an adverbial phrase (e.g., ).

Examples

• Reflecting on the past:
  • As I look back on my childhood, I remember many happy summers.
  • He looked back on his career with a great sense of accomplishment.
• Turning to see behind:
  • Don't look back while you're driving; keep your eyes on the road.
  • She looked back to see if anyone was following her.

Advanced Usage

• "to look back on something with pride/regret/etc.": To remember a past period with a specific emotion.
  • He looks back on his university years with fondness.
• "never look back": An idiom meaning to continue being successful after a change or to not think about the past.
  • After she got her first promotion, she never looked back.

Variants and Related Words

• Retrospect (n): A survey or review of a past course of events or period of time.
  • In retrospect, I should have taken the job.
• Hindsight (n): Understanding of a situation or event only after it has happened.
  • With the benefit of hindsight, their decision was a mistake.

Synonyms

• Reflect (on): To think deeply or carefully about (a past event).
• Remember: To have in or be able to bring to one's mind an awareness of (someone or something from the past).
• Glance back: To take a brief look backward (literal).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Look back on/upon: (The standard form for the reflective meaning). To think about something in your past.
  • It's pleasant to look back on our first meeting.

Related Idioms

• Never look back: To become very successful and not think about your life before this success, or to not return to a previous state.
  • She moved to the city, started her own business, and never looked back.

Verb

1. look back upon (a period of time, sequence of events); remember
   • she reviewed her achievements with pride
2. look towards one's back
   • don't look back while you walk