gazed; gazing; gazes
: to fix the eyes in a steady intent look often with eagerness or studious attention
gazed out the window at the snow
gazer
noun
plural gazers
plural gazes
1
: a fixed intent look
a steady gaze
He fixed his gaze out the window.
She lowered/dropped/raised her gaze.
I met his gaze. [=I looked back at him.]
2
: the collective preferences and expectations of a usually privileged social group especially when imposed as a standard or norm on other groups
In 1973, British feminist film writer Laura Mulvey wrote a seminal essay called "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema", which explored how mainstream films appealed to a male gaze—a term she coined—because the industry was dominated by men who, inevitably, constructed representations of women from a masculine point of view.—
Kerrie O'Brien
Kerrie O'BrienSo few slots are available for nonwhite writers that those who break through are sometimes themselves charged with … exaggerating elements of their culture for a white gaze; living up to the image that white writers have created for them, the easier to be packaged and sold.—Ligaya Mishan
Ligaya MishanIt looks like a gentle scene of a seaside vacation. But this painting by Berthe Morisot, perhaps the most underrated Impressionist, is a layered vision of a dawning modern age and a rare glimpse at the 19th-century female gaze.—Natasha Frost
Natasha FrostSynonyms
Examples of gaze in a Sentence
Verb
He gazed out the window at the snow.
She gazed intently into his eyes.
Noun
She looked at him with a calm, steady gaze.
suddenly aware of her admiring gaze, he became self-conscious and uncomfortable
Recent Examples on the WebJaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
The two students seem different on the surface: the introverted Errol gazes at the world in meditative solitude, while Sasha, a Russian émigré, seems keen on meeting people and networking within her artistic circles.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2024
Alison Herman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2024
Beside the table, Lysa rolled her lower lip into her mouth as her gaze bounced from him to me.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gaze 
Verb
Weather permitting, there might be telescopes available to gaze through.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
The two students seem different on the surface: the introverted Errol gazes at the world in meditative solitude, while Sasha, a Russian émigré, seems keen on meeting people and networking within her artistic circles.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2024
Noun
Much like Emily herself, the focus of the show is squarely on work, where the withering gaze of agency boss Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) creates enough friction to give the proceedings some spark.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2024
Beside the table, Lysa rolled her lower lip into her mouth as her gaze bounced from him to me.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gaze
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gaze.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near gaze
Cite this Entry
“Gaze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaze. Accessed 8 Sep. 2024.
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