stare down

Idioms  

1. Cause someone to waver or give in by or as if by being stared at. For example, Insisting on a better room, he stared down the manager until he got it. This expression alludes to staring at someone without being the first to blink or lower one's gaze. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stare down

It’s not enough for a film to explain its meaning; it must also say something about that message and its broader significance to stare down the “classic” label.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

While brave founders voted for liberty, the general had to stare down the British army.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

But what once looked like first-mover advantage increasingly looks like a liability as investors stare down a crypto winter.

From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026

She's not afraid to stare down injustice, or to confront her demons before they swallow her whole.

From BBC ● Jan. 8, 2026

He couldn’t just sit at the bottom of this tree and stare down at die lake for four days.

From "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen