eye contact
Americannoun
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the act of looking directly into another's eyes.
We never made eye contact at any time during the interview.
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Psychology. a meeting of the eyes of two persons, regarded as a meaningful nonverbal form of communication.
noun
Etymology
Origin of eye contact
First recorded in 1960–65
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.
In early images released by A24 Holmes is shown maintaining intense, unnerving eye contact with Fielder, scenes that made even him "uncomfortable," he said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Whether he’s pressing interviewers about their glibness or just holding eye contact for an inordinate amount of time, Cruise — the last movie star, as he’s been coined — is the definition of passion.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
But people who encounter a wolf should not run, but rather make noises, maintain eye contact and retreat slowly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
How to speak so someone listens, how to make eye contact, how to focus on what’s happening between two people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
They avoided eye contact and stared blankly ahead or kept their eyes lowered.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
