Synonyms Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for stare 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. (of hair, feathers, etc.) to stand on end; bristle. Show More
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: to stare one out of countenance. Show More
a staring gaze; a fixed look with the eyes wide open: The banker greeted him with a glassy stare. Show More
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. Show More
stare one in the face , to be urgent or impending; confront: The income-tax deadline is staring us in the face. Show More
Origin of stare before 900; Middle English staren, Old English starian; cognate with
Dutch staren, German starren, Old Norse stara; akin to
stark ,
starve Related forms star·er , noun star·ing·ly , adverb Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for stare peer ,
beam ,
glare ,
look ,
gawk ,
rubberneck ,
eye ,
fix ,
goggle ,
focus ,
gaze ,
ogle ,
bore ,
eyeball ,
rivet ,
glim Examples from the Web for stare Contemporary Examples of stare Then he's quiet, while I, nonplussed, just stare until he adds, “The camera must never move.”
The teen refused to drop his knife, according to officers, fixed them with “a 100-yard stare ,” and walked toward them.
Strong, young, crisply uniformed, he or she would shake, sigh, stare blankly, or cry, recounting variations of this statement.
Over green tea, Than Gyi told us about her village, interrupting herself frequently to stare at us and laugh.
We stare in the mirror, we compare ourselves with digitally enhanced images of perfect women, and feel all wrong.
Historical Examples of stare Why does he fling himself from his horse and stare so strangely about him?
She turned to stare at the Inspector with eyes that were very clear and very hard.
I thought he must be crazed by over-study, and I could only sit and stare at him, open-mouthed.
One after another of the eleven men felt the weight of his stare .
Kingozi continued to stare at him in the most uncompromising manner.
British Dictionary definitions for stare (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 Show More
the act or an instance of staring Show More
Derived Forms 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
Word Origin for stare Old English stær
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for stare v. Old English starian "to look fixedly at," from Proto-Germanic *star- "be rigid" (cf. Old Norse stara , Middle Low German and Middle Dutch staren , Old High German staren , German starren "to stare at;" German starren "to stiffen," starr "stiff;" Old Norse storr "proud;" Old High German storren "to stand out, project;" Gothic andstaurran "to be obstinate"), from PIE root *ster- "strong, firm, stiff, rigid" (cf. Lithuanian storas "thick," stregti "to become frozen;" Sanskrit sthirah "hard, firm;" Persian suturg "strong;" Old Church Slavonic staru "old;" cf. sterile and torpor ). Not originally implying rudeness. Related: Stared ; staring .
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n. "starling," from Old English (see starling ).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
