See, look, and watch are easy to confuse. Look means to direct your eyes in a particular direction. See means to notice or become aware of something through sight. Watch means to pay attention to something you are seeing.

See is the simplest out of the three—you notice something with your eyes without even having to try. Look involves still using your eyes, but you’re doing it on purpose. Watch means looking at something for a while and paying close attention to it, such as a movie or a game.

“See” means to notice or become aware of someone or something by using your eyes. “Look” means to direct your eyes in a particular direction. “Watch” means to look at someone or something for an amount of time and pay attention to what is happening.

See is the most passive of the three. You can see something just because it passed your line of vision. Look is more active than see because it requires you to turn your attention toward someone or something. Watch is the most active of the three because it requires your focus and attention for an extended period of time.