The Archive

Etymology Journal · L

Look at you, all grown up!

Meaning

A warm, often nostalgic comment made by an adult when seeing a child or young person after a long time. It expresses surprise at how much they have matured.

Warm, sentimental

Used in a sentence

  • Wow, look at you, all grown up and heading off to college!
  • Look at you, all grown up with a job and an apartment.
  • I haven't seen you since you were five, look at you, all grown up!

The backstory

A natural, universal sentiment of witnessing the passage of time. It is a hallmark of family reunions and holidays.

Heard in

Nationwide

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