look the other way

phrase

: to direct one's attention away from something unpleasant or troublesome
We can't just look the other way while these violations of human rights continue to occur.

Examples of look the other way in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the eyes of the conferences, and CFP committee, the allure of a postseason bid is the carrot that would dangle in front of them so that fans would look the other way at the nonsense this creates for the football played in September or October. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 And there’s little reasonable about looking the other way when residents say they’re being swindled or when the state’s constitution is being violated. — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026 Even more damning, though, is Colloff’s exposure of a criminal justice system that is all too happy to look the other way in cutting deals that can have devastating consequences. — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026 Staffers were essentially asked to start looking the other way when private interests cause preventable deaths of vulnerable animals. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for look the other way

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of look the other way was in 1821

Rhymes for look the other way

See All Rhymes for look the other way

Browse Nearby Words

look (someone) in the face
look the other way
look the part
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Look the other way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/look%20the%20other%20way. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fervid

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All