stare
verb (used without object)
to gaze fixedly and intently, especially with the eyes wide open.
were 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.
At 124 for four, with leg-spinners Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid asking probing questions, Sri Lanka were staring down the barrel.
From Barron's ● Jan. 22, 2026
It was as if they were staring at the AI industry’s broader dilemma: whether to move boldly into uncertain territory or wait for clarity and risk falling behind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
When he departed, 34 overs later, it was at 157 and the tourists were staring firmly down the barrel of another defeat.
From BBC ● Dec. 6, 2025
“She had her savings, which were being depleted. So, we were staring at the idea of spending her principal, and we’d keep going until it was all gone,” Pinsker writes.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 18, 2025
“It was hard to believe what we were seeing, even when we were staring right at it. Was there really only one bomb?” he asked.
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
