staring

American  

[stair-ing] / ˈstɛər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. gazing fixedly and intently, especially with the eyes wide open.

   Standing in front of Jane’s staring face, Ravi lifted the conch shell above his head and smashed it into a hundred pieces on the floor.

2. boldly, inescapably, or obnoxiously conspicuous; glaring.

   Whenever I dwell on my own shortcomings, they begin to seem mild and harmless, not at all like the staring defects in other people's characters.

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adverb

1. Chiefly British. glaringly or conspicuously; thoroughly (often preceded bystark ).

   This "borrow and spend" policy is stark staring bonkers.

Other Word Forms

• staringly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of staring

star(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Explanation

Staring — an open-eyed look of interest or amazement — is most often used as a verb but can also be an adjective. The man asked what you were staring at and his staring eyes seemed to look right through you. The word staring comes from the root word stare, a fixed gaze. Its early meaning was "to be rigid," or "to stiffen," and later became "to look fixedly at." Staring is often rude, unless the person you are staring at is putting on a performance. Staring at the sun is not a good idea, since it can damage your eyes. When an answer is "staring you in the face," it should be obvious.

Example Sentences

Staring down the crowd in the Glendale arena last November, Kelly issued a call to action.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

Staring at the departures board, Mohammed Assaad, 48, an Australian of Lebanese origin who was heading back to Sydney via Cairo, said he was unfazed by the Israeli bombardment.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

Staring at an ominous “SOS” icon instead of the usual 5G service bars on my iPhone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Staring Back at Me is a disease awareness campaign, aiming to help people recognise the symptoms of ADHD, while highlighting the stigma that women may face in the workplace.

From BBC • Nov. 1, 2024

Staring after it, Roy Church shook his head: “I never would have believed he had the guts. To take it like he did. I had him tagged a coward.”

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote