take a long look

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiom

   To examine something carefully and for a noticeable amount of time before deciding or judging.

   Grammar: Followed by 'at': take a long look at something. The verb 'take' changes with the subject: she took a long look.

   Patterns

   • take a long look at something
   • take a long look at yourself

   Before you buy the car, take a long look at the engine and the tires.

   The manager took a long look at the report and then asked for more figures.

   Take a long look at your spending if you want to save money.

2. 2phraseidiomfigurative

   To think seriously about your own behavior or situation, often before changing it.

   Grammar: Usually reflexive in this sense: take a long look at yourself.

   Patterns

   • take a long look at yourself
   • take a long look at where you are

   After losing the contract, the team took a long look at itself.

   She took a long look at her career and decided to retrain.

Word forms

Common combinations

take a long look at something

Take a long look at the map before you set off.

take a long hard look

The board took a long hard look at the budget.

take a long look back

The film takes a long look back at the 1980s.

stop and take a long look

It is worth stopping and taking a long look at what you have achieved.

Synonyms and how they differ

examine

A single verb with the same idea, but it does not suggest spending much time.

scrutinize

Stronger and more formal; it suggests looking for faults or fine details.

study

Fits when you are learning from what you look at, not just checking it.

Opposites

Word family

long look noun

A careful examination, as in 'a long look at the figures'.

look verb

To turn your eyes toward something.

Commonly confused: take a long look or take a long shot?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “take a long look”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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