stare
- 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.
- 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.
- a staring gaze; a fixed look with the eyes wide open: The banker greeted him with a glassy stare.
- 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.
- stare one in the face, to be urgent or impending; confront: The income-tax deadline is staring us in the face.
Origin of stare
Synonyms
See more synonyms for stare on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for staring
Contemporary Examples
Her magical ability to shrink people just by staring at them is also put to great use here.
This scene also proves once and for all that the key to acting is just staring at the camera really, really hard.
High-End Pervs Film Benedict Cumberbatch and Reese Witherspoon Sucking FaceAmy Zimmerman
December 11, 2014
Above the notes of praise is a small photo of Guerin wearing a polka dot tie and pocket square, staring at you like a sociopath.
We nod our heads towards Pakistan and he is quiet, staring at the floor.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban ValleyMatt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman
November 15, 2014
Half of our music and all of our dancing is just about worshipping, praising, staring at and waxing poetic about the human ass.
Historical Examples
He sat with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, staring at the grass.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
"Yes," said Dick, staring in front of him and speaking in a dull, even voice.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
The man is a very confident, he is a very bold, staring man!
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
They stood silent, she looking nowhere, and he staring now in this direction, now in that.
Weighed and WantingGeorge MacDonald
The candle was in her hand, and she was staring at the letter.
KMary Roberts Rinehart
stare1
- (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
- the act or an instance of staring
Word Origin
stare2
- dialect a starling
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for staring
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.
stare
n.
"starling," from Old English (see starling).