Slang dictionary
would you look at that
or Would you look at that? or well would you look at that [wuh d yooĀ loo k at th at]
What does wouldĀ youĀ lookĀ at that mean?
Would you look at that is a rhetorical question or interjection used to variously comment on something surprising, frustrating, puzzling, or enticing as well as something cynically expected or counter to one’s expectations.Ā Ā
Where does would you look at that come from?
The exact origins ofĀ would you look at thatĀ are unclear, apparently emerging in colloquial speech from the literal question Would you look at that?. The phrase implies that someone can’t believe their eyes, asking others if they, too, are witnessing some incredible spectacle.
Online, would you look at that started showing up as early asĀ 1990, used much as it was in casual speech before it. The phrase was popularized, however,Ā in late 2010, when comedianĀ Ed BassmasterĀ uploaded a series of YouTube videos where he led unsuspecting people through entire conversations by mainly repeating āWell would you look at that?ā and “Look at this!” His videos received tens of millions of views, inspiring memes and a surge in search interest inĀ January, 2011.
Around 2015, a new meme started appearing where people would search something likeĀ āsomeone better than meāĀ in their phoneās maps app, screen-capture the āNo results foundā error message, and post it with the captionĀ Well would you look at that?
Examples of would you look at that
Who uses would you look at that?
Would you look at that is widely used in both speech and writing. Online, it is typically paired with a link or image. The expression is often prefaced with a discourse marker (e.g., Well, would you look at that, or Huh, would you look at that).Ā
As a rhetorical question, would you look at thatĀ seldom asks someone to literally inspect something. Rather, it’s variously used in reaction to something mildly fascinating, puzzling, or annoying, often with a hint of exaggeration or politeness. As such, would you look at that can come across as sarcastic.
Would you look at that also enjoys some subtler uses. It’s sometimes used in the fulfillment of some expectation (e.g., “Would you look at that. I told you you’d move back home”). Conversely, people may use would you look at thatĀ when their doubts are proven wrong (e.g., “Well, would you look at that. Bill showed up to the wedding after all”).
People also sometimes use the expression when they want to give themselves permission to some small indulgence, as if the opportunity to do so only just presented itself (e.g., “Would you look at that. The last slice of pizza and no one else around to eat it”).Ā As such, would you look at that can come across as sarcastic or gloating, so be mindful of tone when using the expression.Ā
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of would you look at that like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of would you look at that that will help our users expand their word mastery.