stare

1 of 2

verb

ˈster 

stared; staring

intransitive verb

1

: to look fixedly often with wide-open eyes

2

: to show oneself conspicuously

the error stared from the page

3

of hair : to stand on end : bristle

also : to appear rough and lusterless

transitive verb

1

: to have an effect on by staring

2

: to look at with a searching or earnest gaze

starer noun

stare

2 of 2

noun

: the act or an instance of staring

a blank stare

Phrases

stare one in the face

: to be undeniably and forcefully evident or apparent

Synonyms

Verb

• blink
• gape
• gawk
• gawp [chiefly British]
• gaze
• goggle
• peer
• rubberneck

Noun

• aspect [archaic]
• eye
• gape
• gaze
• regard
• scrutiny

Examples of stare in a Sentence

Verb

She stared out the window.

His mother told him not to stare.

Noun

They looked at me with accusing stares.

caught the child's wide-eyed stare on film

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But halfway into the season, Moiraine has mostly done a lot of staring and a little bit of really amateurish manipulation that backfires spectacularly. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025

Zegler also shared a final retro-style clip of herself while looking off to the side and staring at the camera, laughing. —Escher Walcott, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025

Noun

The cruel comments and stares have left permanent emotional scars that have led to deep battles with mental health and feelings of low self-worth. —Andy Collinson, Health, 19 Mar. 2025

The two stare at each other, separated by decades yet both connected by the same horrible history, all of it tethered to the person lying dead on the asphalt. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English starian; akin to Old High German starēn to stare, Greek stereos solid, Lithuanian starinti to stiffen

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1553, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing stare

• blank stare
• fix one's eyes/gaze/stare on/upon
• look/shoot/stare daggers at
• stare at (someone)
• stare daggers
• stare decisis
• stare down
• stare/gaze (off) into space
• stare out
• stare (someone) in the eye(s)
• stare (someone) in the face

Rhymes for stare

• air
• ayre
• bahr
• bare
• blare
• care
• chair
• claire
• ere
• err
• eyre
• fair

Kids Definition

stare

1 of 2 verb

ˈsta(ə)r 

ˈste(ə)r

stared; staring

: to look hard and long often with wide-open eyes

stare at a stranger

starer noun

stare

2 of 2 noun

: the act or an instance of staring