looks on
Witnesses without intervening
Looks on means to watch without participating, often as events unfold: The crowd looked on as firefighters battled the blaze.
It suggests observation from a distance—physical or emotional—rather than involvement: She looked on helplessly while her business collapsed.
The phrase can also mean to regard or consider: He looks on her as a daughter.
- spiesSecret intelligence gatherers
- fly on the wallUnseen watcher of events
- lookoutWatcher or vista point
- bystanderOne who observes nearby
- witnessingSeeing something occur
bears witness · beholding · watching · peering · supervising · observing · sidelines · stands by · sits back · spectator · passively · scrutinizing · gazing · overseeing · attending · noting · staring · glancing
looks onparticipates
Takes an active role
takes part · intervenes · joins in · acts · engages
looks onlooks away
turns away · ignores · turns a blind eye · disregards · tunes out
looks oninterferes
Meddles in others' affairs
meddles · intercedes · takes charge · takes control · influences
looks, look, looked, looking, looker, lookers, outlook, outlooks, overlook