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.

(of hair, feathers, etc.) to stand on end; bristle.

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.

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 for stare

stare one in the face, to be urgent or impending; confront: The income-tax deadline is staring us in the face.

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

starer, nounstar·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for stare

One comes to know the fixed stares or the refusal to meet my gaze in the hall and things like that.
Trans, non-binary candidates make history in state legislative races|Parker Purifoy|November 18, 2020|Washington Blade
Her magical ability to shrink people just by staring at them is also put to great use here.
Marvel’s ‘Agent Carter’ Stomps on the Patriarchy|Melissa Leon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
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 Face|Amy Zimmerman|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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.
The Multimillion ‘Clairvoyance by Mail’ Scam|Jacob Siegel|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

We nod our heads towards Pakistan and he is quiet, staring at the floor.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley|Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Half of our music and all of our dancing is just about worshipping, praising, staring at and waxing poetic about the human ass.
Kim Kardashian Bares Her Shiny, Bounteous Butt, Breaks the Internet|Marlow Stern|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We stood staring after the fugitives in perfect bewilderment, totally unable to explain their apparently causeless panic.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
And after staring at him a few moments longer she turned her head to look at Grandfather Mole.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
He saw them standing at street corners, watchfully staring lest they should miss the form of joy.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens
Tom sat for a long time before the open window in a state of half stupor, staring at the pictures his mind offered automatically.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
She took to staring out across the grounds again, and one hand drew up slowly till it was doubled into a tight-shut little fist.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

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

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stare

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

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