# looking

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈlʊkɪŋ/ · frequency rank #242

## Definitions
1. present participle and gerund of look
2. as the last part of compound adjectives: relating to or having the appearance of.

## Etymology
From Middle English lokynge, from earlier lokinde, lokende, from Old English lōciende, present participle of Old English lōcian (“to look”), equivalent to look + -ing.

## Easily confused with
- **losing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/looking-vs-losing)
- **loving** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/looking-vs-loving)
- **loring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/looking-vs-loring)
- **lurking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/looking-vs-lurking)
- **looting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/looking-vs-looting)
- **looming** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/looking-vs-looming)
- **looping** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/looking-vs-looping)
- **liking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liking-vs-looking)
- **loading** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/loading-vs-looking)
- **lacking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lacking-vs-looking)
- **linking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/linking-vs-looking)
- **locking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/locking-vs-looking)
- **logging** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/logging-vs-looking)
- **leaking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaking-vs-looking)
- **licking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/licking-vs-looking)
- **longing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/longing-vs-looking)
- **lodging** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lodging-vs-looking)
- **loaning** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/loaning-vs-looking)

## Common misspellings (10)
`llooking`, `loking`, `lokoing`, `looikng`, `lookign`, `lookingg`, `lookinng`, `lookking`, `looknig`, `oloking`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/looking