look forward
Look forward (phrasal verb) means to feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen. It is almost always used as look forward to, followed by a noun or an -ing verb. Example: “I'm looking forward to the weekend.”
How to Use Look forward
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo be happy that something is coming.
The to in look forward to is a preposition, so a verb after it must take -ing. I look forward to meeting you is correct; I look forward to meet you is not.
In emails, I look forward to is the more formal, slightly distant version; I'm looking forward to sounds warmer and more personal. Both are correct.
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
I _____ to hearing from you.
Synonyms
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Related Words
Rhymes for look forward
See all rhymes for look forward →Frequently Asked Questions
Is it "look forward to hearing" or "look forward to hear"?
Look forward to hearing is correct. The to here is a preposition rather than part of an infinitive, so it must be followed by a noun or an -ing form, exactly as in look forward to the holiday.
What is the difference between "I look forward to" and "I'm looking forward to"?
They mean the same thing, but the simple form sounds more formal and is standard in business correspondence, while the continuous form sounds friendlier and more immediate. Choose the continuous form when writing to someone you know.