expression

look forward to

to anticipate with pleasure

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

1. (expression) to feel happy and excited about something that will happen in the future

Examples

1. I'm looking forward to my vacation next month.

How to use look forward to

This expression conveys positive anticipation of a future event. It is commonly used in both spoken and written English, particularly in formal correspondence (business emails, letters) where 'I look forward to hearing from you' is a standard closing phrase. The tone is optimistic and enthusiastic, though it can be used neutrally in professional contexts.

Common phrases

look forward to the weekend
look forward to hearing from you
look forward to seeing you
look forward to meeting
I look forward to
we look forward to

Synonyms

anticipate · await · be excited about · be eager for · look forward eagerly to

Opposites

dread · fear

A common mistake

Learners often use the gerund form incorrectly (e.g., 'I look forward to see' instead of 'I look forward to seeing'), forgetting that the infinitive must follow the preposition 'to'.

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