See eye to eye means to share the same views and agree with each other. The idiom is most often negative: we don't see eye to eye on something means that we disagree about it.
When would you say see eye to eye?
Write a sentence — we'll check that the expression fits the situation and suggest what to fix.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
(not) see eye to eye (with someone) (on/about + topic)
- My sister and I don't always see eye to eye, but we never stay angry for long.
- The two managers finally saw eye to eye on the new budget after a long meeting.
- I rarely see eye to eye with my flatmate about cleaning the kitchen.
What changed
First versionMy parents and I don't look eye to eye about my career.
RevisionMy parents and I don't see eye to eye about my career.
The only verb in this idiom is see: see eye to eye. Look may seem logical if you imagine two people looking into each other's eyes, but that is a different image, and the English idiom doesn't work with look.
After agree, you can put a whole statement: We agreed that the plan was too risky. You can't do that with see eye to eye: the topic is introduced with on or about, and the other person with with. In an essay, agree or share the same view sounds more neutral.
Your turn
My boss wants to cut the training budget and I think it's a mistake, so we don't ___ on this issue.
Show the answer
see eye to eye — The speaker and the boss see the budget differently, so they disagree: don't see eye to eye. Look eye to eye mixes the idiom up with looking into someone's eyes, and English has no such idiom.
Write about someone you don't see eye to eye with. Say who it is and what issue you disagree on.
My grandfather and I don't see eye to eye on social media; he thinks it's a waste of time, and I use it for work.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.