stare
verb (used without object)
to gaze fixedly and intently, especially with the eyes wide open.
had been staring
-
past perfect progressiveof stare.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I had been staring at this fossil for a while," Bhullar said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026
It also saved activist hedge funds targeting the Tylenol maker that had been staring down huge losses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025
An esteemed lawyer, Mr Collaery had been staring down a possible jail sentence for helping to expose allegations of Australian wrongdoing in East Timor.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2022
“I had been staring at my last unemployment check when someone from ‘Sesame Street’ called to ask if I would like to audition for the show,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2018.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 11, 2022
For some time I had been staring at the jar of cherries without realizing fully what they were.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
