stare
to gaze fixedly and intently, especially with the eyes wide open.
to be boldly or obtrusively conspicuous: The bright modern painting stares out at you in the otherwise conservative gallery.
to be patently or compellingly obvious: The stark, staring fact is, you can't do something with nothing.
(of hair, feathers, etc.) to stick out or stand on end; bristle: Both male and female pheasants are rough-footed and have staring feathers around the head and neck.
to stare at: to stare a person up and down.
to effect or have a certain effect on by staring: They all laughed at me and stared me into silence.
a staring gaze; a fixed look with the eyes wide open: The banker greeted him with a glassy stare.
stare down, to cause to become uncomfortable by gazing steadily at one; overcome by staring: A nonsmoker at the next table tried to stare me down.
Idioms about stare
stare one in the face,
(especially of something undesirable) to be patently or compellingly obvious: Sounds like a far-fetched theory, but when the evidence is staring you in the face, you have to take notice.
to be urgent or impending; be about to happen: The income tax deadline is staring us in the face.
stare (something) in the face, to confront or be confronted by (something unpleasant): The company is staring bankruptcy in the face.
staring down the barrel of,
having (a firearm) aimed at one, especially at close range: He turned his head and found himself staring down the barrel of a rifle.
facing (a threat, challenging situation, or imminent disaster): Motorists are staring down the barrel of a major hike in the price of fuel.
Origin of stare
1synonym study For stare
Other words from stare
- star·er, noun
Words Nearby stare
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use stare in a sentence
They couldn’t have — not with the quiet of the gym when Notre Dame players sank free throws and the bored stares in the stands when officials blew their whistles against the home team.
Howard sees its basketball fantasy come to life slowly in showcase game against Notre Dame | Candace Buckner | January 18, 2022 | Washington PostI gave that boyfriend a long flat stare, then set my eyes on the ceiling until he knew to walk away.
I would ask her the difference between a small and a medium tomato and she would just give me this blank stare.
One cicada even landed on top of my muzzle and looked me in the eyes with a cold stare.
"How low this Court's respect for stare decisis has sunk," Sotomayor wrote.
Supreme Court rules against juvenile sentenced to life without parole | Robert Barnes | April 22, 2021 | Washington Post
In their midst stands a soldier with the Lebanese armed forces in a red beret, sporting an assault rifle and an unblinking stare.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda | Ruth Michaelson | December 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThen he's quiet, while I, nonplussed, just stare until he adds, “The camera must never move.”
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days | David Freeman | December 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn the case of Steven Eugene Washington, nothing more than a blank stare made him a target for police bullets.
Worse Than Eric Garner: Cops Who Got Away With Killing Autistic Men and Little Girls | Emily Shire | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe teen refused to drop his knife, according to officers, fixed them with “a 100-yard stare,” and walked toward them.
The 14 Teens Killed by Cops Since Michael Brown | Nina Strochlic | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“Hell yeah,” he says with a smile and a piercing, blue-eyed stare.
My Bizarre Night With James Deen, Libertarian Porn Star | Emily Shire | November 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBlanche sat there with her little excited, yet innocent—too innocent—stare; her eyes followed Mrs. Vivian's.
Confidence | Henry JamesAt the station the head porter received their inquiry for a Bradshaw with a dull stare and a shake of the head.
Hilda Lessways | Arnold BennettAmong others, an Abb thrice lifted his fork to his mouth, and thrice laid it down, with an eager stare of surprise.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | VariousThe poor child didn't understand why Teacher Thomas should stare so at her, and she let out one long, unending bleat.
The Soldier of the Valley | Nelson LloydJessie forbade her chum to tell, by a hard stare and a determined shake of her head.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn | Margaret Penrose
British Dictionary definitions for stare (1 of 2)
/ (stɛə) /
(intr often foll by at) to look or gaze fixedly, often with hostility or rudeness
(intr) (of an animal's fur, bird's feathers, etc) to stand on end because of fear, ill health, etc
(intr) to stand out as obvious; glare
stare one in the face to be glaringly obvious or imminent
the act or an instance of staring
Origin of stare
1Derived forms of stare
- starer, noun
British Dictionary definitions for stare (2 of 2)
/ (stɛə) /
dialect a starling
Origin of stare
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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