stare

[ stair ]

/ stɛər /

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See synonyms for: stare / stared / staring on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), stared, star·ing.

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.

verb (used with object), stared, star·ing.

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.

noun

a staring gaze; a fixed look with the eyes wide open: The banker greeted him with a glassy stare.

Verb Phrases

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.

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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

First recorded before 900; Middle English staren, Old English starian; cognate with Dutch staren, German starren, Old Norse stara; akin to stark, starve

synonym study for stare

1. See gaze.

OTHER WORDS FROM stare

star·er, noun

Words nearby stare

star-crossed lovers, star cut, stardom, star drill, stardust, stare, stared, stare decisis, stare down, stare in the face, stare out

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

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 Post
I gave that boyfriend a long flat stare, then set my eyes on the ceiling until he knew to walk away.
Be a good example|April Sopkin|October 27, 2021|MIT Technology Review
I would ask her the difference between a small and a medium tomato and she would just give me this blank stare.
David Chang and Priya Krishna Want You to Get Over Recipes|Lucy Feldman|October 14, 2021|Time
One cicada even landed on top of my muzzle and looked me in the eyes with a cold stare.
My name is Max, and I have a cicada problem|Kevin Ambrose|May 28, 2021|Washington Post

"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|DAILY BEAST
Then 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|DAILY BEAST
In 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|DAILY BEAST
The 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|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|DAILY BEAST
Blanche sat there with her little excited, yet innocent—too innocent—stare; her eyes followed Mrs. Vivian's.
Confidence|Henry James
At the station the head porter received their inquiry for a Bradshaw with a dull stare and a shake of the head.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
Among 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;|Various
The 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 Lloyd
Jessie 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)

stare¹

/ (stɛə) /

verb

(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

noun

the act or an instance of staring

Derived forms of stare

starer, noun

Word Origin for stare

Old English starian; related to Old Norse stara, Old High German starēn to stare, Greek stereos stiff, Latin consternāre to confuse

British Dictionary definitions for stare (2 of 2)

stare²

/ (stɛə) /

noun

dialect a starling

Word Origin for stare

Old English stær

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

stare

Idioms about stare

Origin of stare

synonym study for stare

OTHER WORDS FROM stare

Words nearby stare

Words related to stare

How to use stare in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stare (1 of 2)

Derived forms of stare

Word Origin for stare

British Dictionary definitions for stare (2 of 2)

Word Origin for stare