1. to watch something happening, without being involved in it or trying to stop it ⇨ onlooker:
Only one man tried to help us, the rest just looked on in silence.
2. look on somebody/something (also look upon somebody/something) to consider someone or something in a particular way, or as a particular thing
look on as
I look on him as a good friend.
look on with
Strangers to the village are looked upon with a mixture of fear and suspicion.