Phrasal Verb: 'Look down on' (Despise)

This is a three-part phrasal verb. It consists of a verb, an adverb, and a preposition. In this case, they are look, down, and on. These three words act as a single unit of meaning. You cannot separate them. You cannot say look someone down on. That would sound very strange to a native speaker! It is also a transitive verb. This means it always needs an object. You must look down on *something* or *someone*. Think of it as a fixed bridge. You cannot remove any planks without the bridge falling. It works across all tenses. You can say looked down on or is looking down on. The verb look changes, but down on stays the same.

1. 1Start with your subject (the person doing the judging).
2. 2Add the verb look in the correct tense.
3. 3Add the fixed particles down on.
4. 4End with the object (the person or thing being judged).
5. 5Example: He (Subject) + looks (Verb) + down on (Particles) + fast food (Object).

Use this when discussing social classes. It is perfect for describing snobbery. Imagine a rich person seeing someone in old clothes. They might look down on them. Use it for intellectual settings too. A professor might look down on Wikipedia as a source. Use it for lifestyle choices. Some people look down on those who do not exercise. It is great for job interviews when discussing past conflicts. You might say, 'I felt my previous manager looked down on my ideas.' It adds flavor to your storytelling. It shows you recognize the 'power play' in a relationship.

Do not use this for physical actions. If you are standing on a balcony, you are just looking down. You are not looking down on the street (unless you hate the street!). Avoid using it if you just mean 'dislike'. If you hate broccoli, you don't look down on it. You just don't like it. Look down on implies a sense of 'I am better than this.' Do not use it for people you respect. If you admire your boss, you look up to them instead. Also, avoid using it in very formal legal documents. Words like despise or disdain are better there.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes. The biggest mistake is separating the verb. Never put the person in the middle. I look him down on is 100% incorrect. Another mistake is forgetting the on. If you say He looks down me, it sounds like he is physically looking at your feet. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. If you miss a part, the sentence stops. Some people also confuse it with look down at. Look down at is physical. Look down on is psychological. Don't be the person who mixes these up at a dinner party!

Let's look at the cousins of this phrase. Look up to is the direct opposite. It means to admire or respect someone. Look down at is purely physical. Look into means to investigate. Despise is a close synonym but much stronger. If you despise someone, you hate them deeply. If you look down on them, you just think they are inferior. It is like the difference between a cold shoulder and a punch. Scorn is another similar word. However, look down on is much more common in daily speech. It feels more natural and less like a Shakespeare play.