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 staring peer ,
beam ,
glare ,
look ,
gawk ,
rubberneck ,
eye ,
fix ,
goggle ,
focus ,
gaze ,
ogle ,
bore ,
eyeball ,
rivet ,
glim Examples from the Web for staring Contemporary Examples of staring 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.
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.
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 of staring He sat with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, staring at the grass.
"Yes," said Dick, staring in front of him and speaking in a dull, even voice.
The man is a very confident, he is a very bold, staring man!
They stood silent, she looking nowhere, and he staring now in this direction, now in that.
The candle was in her hand, and she was staring at the letter.
British Dictionary definitions for staring (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 staring 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
