stared; staring
1
: to look fixedly often with wide-open eyes
He just sat and stared out the window.
—often used with atThey stared at the scene in disbelief.
2
: to show oneself conspicuously
The error stared from the page.
3
1
: to have an effect on by staring
2
: to look at with a searching or earnest gaze
stared him up and down
starer
noun
see also:
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
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Viewing the comet itself poses no danger, but potential danger lies in staring at the sun, whose infrared rays can burn the retina of the eye and cause irreparable damage, all without causing any pain.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Greg Poole, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026
The stares were blank and the handshakes perfunctory, because the Canadians know the value of silver as pertains to this tournament.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stare
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Verb
Virginia stared its disappointment dead in the eye in the offseason, channeling it to fuel a run to the school’s first national championship.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Viewing the comet itself poses no danger, but potential danger lies in staring at the sun, whose infrared rays can burn the retina of the eye and cause irreparable damage, all without causing any pain.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
When Thriller came out, Jones’ friends immediately noticed the lean, the white jacket, and Jackson’s laser-beam stare — all of which seemed to echo Alfonzo.
—Greg Poole, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026
The stares were blank and the handshakes perfunctory, because the Canadians know the value of silver as pertains to this tournament.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stare
Cite this Entry
“Stare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stare. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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