gawk

[ gawk ]
See synonyms for: gawkgawkedgawkinggawks on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)
  1. to stare stupidly; gape: The onlookers gawked at arriving celebrities.

noun
  1. an awkward, foolish person.

Origin of gawk

1
1775–85; apparently representing OE word meaning fool, equivalent to ga(gol) foolish + -oc-ock; used attributively in gawk hand, gallock hand left hand

Other words for gawk

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gawk in a sentence

  • He gawked, reddening; his right hand quivered; and to my chagrin he slowly laughed, scanning me.

    Desert Dust | Edwin L. Sabin
  • He picked a fairly early hour, too, because what matter if a few yawps gawked as the Tiara vanished?

    Zero Data | Charles Saphro
  • As he came down the street he stopped occasionally and gawked around.

  • In any case she must often have been stung by the exasperation of those at whom she gawked.

    The Judge | Rebecca West

British Dictionary definitions for gawk

gawk

/ (ɡɔːk) /


noun
  1. a clumsy stupid person; lout

verb
  1. (intr) to stare in a stupid way; gape

Origin of gawk

1
C18: from Old Danish gaukr; probably related to gape

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012