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 FrostExamples 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 Web
Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
So, head away from artificial city lights over the coming weeks and gaze to the west in the hours directly following sunset.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2026
The root of Disco is tension — between Styles and an ex, between an artist and himself, between a pop star and a fandom’s gaze, and between serious intentions and sometimes silly lyricism.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gaze
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
The images, which were taken in 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa, show Dion lounging on her back, gazing off into the distance, and enjoying the sun.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
So, head away from artificial city lights over the coming weeks and gaze to the west in the hours directly following sunset.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
Before heading out to meteor gaze, be sure to check the forecast for cloudy weather, as this and the moon are the two biggest factors that could get in the way of an impressive celestial show.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2026
The root of Disco is tension — between Styles and an ex, between an artist and himself, between a pop star and a fandom’s gaze, and between serious intentions and sometimes silly lyricism.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gaze
Cite this Entry
“Gaze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaze. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
