lookie-loo
noun
look·ie-loo
ˈlu̇-kē-ˈlü 
variants
or looky-loo
plural lookie-loos or looky-loos
US, informal + often disparaging
: a person who looks at something: such as
a
: a person who goes somewhere or stops to look at something (such as the scene of an accident) : an intrusively curious onlooker
—usually plural
… to discourage the thousands of lookie-loos who once jammed the street to get a glimpse of the murder scene.—
David W. Myers
David W. Myers
b
: a person who looks at something for sale without intending to buy it
And how should you get your old house ready for "looky-loos" as well as the serious buyers?—Roger Showley
Roger ShowleyExamples of lookie-loo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The ropes keeping the paps and lookie-loos out — and the celebrities and scene-makers in — go up days before the event actually starts, with just enough distance between the two groups to keep it interesting.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Out on the sidewalk and behind barriers, lookie-loos crane their necks for a peek at the competitors, while pin traders mill through the churning crowd in hopes of making a souvenir swap.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
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Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Out on the sidewalk and behind barriers, lookie-loos crane their necks for a peek at the competitors, while pin traders mill through the churning crowd in hopes of making a souvenir swap.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lookie-loo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lookie-loo. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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