WordGarden.iooutlook
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈaʊtlʊk/
US
- /ˈaʊtˌlʊk/
Meanings
Noun
the likely future condition or prospects of something
a person's general attitude or way of seeing life and events
Proper-noun
Microsoft's email and calendar software
Beyond the definition
An outlook is not just about what you see when you look out a window; it is also the way you think about things: your hopes, expectations, and general attitude toward the future. A sunny outlook means someone is optimistic, while a bleak outlook suggests pessimism. Think of a farmer checking the sky: their view of the harvest may depend on whether they see rain clouds or sunshine. The word can also refer to the likely future of something, as in "The economic outlook is uncertain."
Outlook has several layers of meaning, all connected to how we see and expect things. In its most literal sense, it can refer to a view or the scene in front of you when you look out from a particular place. "The house has a lovely outlook over the bay."
However, more commonly, outlook describes someone's perspective, attitude, or expectations about the future. A positive outlook means being hopeful and confident, while a negative outlook suggests pessimism or worry. "Despite the challenges, she maintained a remarkably optimistic outlook." You might say someone has "a realistic outlook" if they are practical and grounded in their assessments.
The word can also refer to the prospect or likely course of events for something specific. For example, "The outlook for the company is promising" means it is expected to do well. Or, "The weather outlook is grim" means bad weather is expected.
At its heart, "outlook" is about what lies ahead and how we see it. It can describe a beautiful scene, a person's attitude, or the future chances of a situation. In every case, the word connects sight with expectation.
Examples
- 1
Positive attitude
She has a positive outlook, even when work gets stressful.
- 2
Life perspective
Living in another country changed his outlook on life.
- Patternoutlook on + topic
way of thinking about it
- 3
Business forecast
The outlook for small businesses is improving.
- Patternoutlook for + situation
what is likely to happen in the future
- 4
Weather forecast
The weather outlook for the weekend is cold and rainy.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Economic forecast
Economists gave a cautious outlook for the next few months.
- 6
View
Our room had a clear outlook over the lake.
- Patternoutlook over + place
a view across it
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- closed-mindedness
- objectivity
Used with (collocations)
- positive outlook
- optimistic outlook
- outlook on life
- change one's outlook
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- outlooknoun
Forms
- outlookspluralnoun