appear and look share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. appear means “give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect”. look means “perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards”. look is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈpɪɹ/
1.v.give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
“She seems to be sleeping”
2.v.come into sight or view
“He suddenly appeared at the wedding”
3.v.be issued or published
“Did your latest book appear yet?”
/ˈlʊk/
1.v.perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
“She looked over the expanse of land”
2.v.give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
“She seems to be sleeping”
3.v.have a certain outward or facial expression
“How does she look?”
| appear | look | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈpɪɹ/ | /ˈlʊk/ |
| Said | uh-PIR | luuk |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 7 | 14 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | look, seem | none recorded |
Full entry for appear · Full entry for look · More comparisons