stare
verb (used without object)
to gaze fixedly and intently, especially with the eyes wide open.
was staring
-
past progressiveof stare.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yes, almost everyone was staring at screens, but almost no one was looking at their phone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Now it was staring down the possibility of blowing the deadline and delaying the sequel by a year, which Catmull says would have been nothing less than catastrophic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
They agreed on a key point: The nation was staring down a severe shortage of electrons to drive American business forward.
From Salon ● May 9, 2026
I was staring at the old Grosvenor that's not there any more and it basically says: 'Yeah, you're playing Ronnie at 10.'
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
Aunt Hila was staring at Anthony and the candle.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
