leered; leering; leers
: to cast a sidelong glance
especially
: to give a leer
Some female employees complained that they were being leered at by male employees.
: a lascivious, knowing, or wanton look
Examples of leer in a Sentence
Verb
She complained that some disgusting man was leering at her.
He gave her a leering look.
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Spivey is exceptional, but the series’ leering contempt for his character is unsettling, and after establishing some distressing details, the character’s arc goes in a wildly different direction.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Carrie Battan, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Harrelson brandishes that anything-goes leer that never gets old.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leer
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 unconscionable treatment of maids in Alma’s era finds uncomfortable parallels in the 1980s, when Angelika is both appalled and intrigued by the leering looks of her uncle Uwe (Konstantin Lindhorst).
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Spivey is exceptional, but the series’ leering contempt for his character is unsettling, and after establishing some distressing details, the character’s arc goes in a wildly different direction.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
Hobert standing grinning for the camera while a menacing clown leers through a window behind her.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Harrelson brandishes that anything-goes leer that never gets old.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leer
Cite this Entry
“Leer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leer. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
