look down on

Inseparable

The verb and particle never split. The object always follows the whole phrase.

How to say it

Main stress lands on the first particle: look DOWN on. The trailing “on” reduces almost to nothing — expect a schwa, not a full vowel.

Do not release the /k/. Before the consonant of “down” the stop is held and swallowed rather than popped — the same unreleased-stop move as in hot dog. One smooth unit: “look down”.

What it means

To consider someone inferior.
- “He looks down on anyone who didn't go to university.”
- “Nobody likes being looked down on.”
Similar: disdain, scorn

The particle logic

down

Something decreases, collapses, settles, or gets recorded.

Something starts running, keeps running, or sits on a surface.

Listen + practice

Hear “look down on” spoken naturally

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More LOOK phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

look up

To search for information in a reference source.

look for

To search for something or someone.

look after

To take care of someone or something.

look forward to

To feel pleased about something that is going to happen. Always followed by a noun or an -ING form, never an infinitive.

look up to

To admire and respect someone.

look into

To investigate something.

look out

To be careful — usually shouted as a warning.

look over

To examine something fairly quickly.

look through

To examine a collection item by item.

look back

To think about the past.