as in stared
to look long and hard in wonder or surprise
couldn't help gawking at the exotically dressed guests in the hotel lobby
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Recent Examples of gawked
Still, other Coppin State runners gawked at his broad chest, bulging biceps and thick quads.
—
Tyler Jett, Des Moines Register, 21 Jan. 2026
They’re presented as endearing surprises of nature and life, celebrated rather than gawked at.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Drilling for progress As the rest of us gawked at Maye’s pinpoint accuracy on his 55-yard completion to Rhamondre Stevenson in the third quarter of last Sunday’s win — the longest of his career — Maye’s position coach smiled for a different reason.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
Tyler Jett, Des Moines Register, 21 Jan. 2026
They’re presented as endearing surprises of nature and life, celebrated rather than gawked at.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Drilling for progress As the rest of us gawked at Maye’s pinpoint accuracy on his 55-yard completion to Rhamondre Stevenson in the third quarter of last Sunday’s win — the longest of his career — Maye’s position coach smiled for a different reason.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gawked
Verb
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When the guilty verdict was announced, Dale Warner stared at the floor and shook his head in apparent disbelief, reported The Daily Telegram, part of the USA TODAY Network.—
Corey J. Murray,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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The man gazed at Wilkes, whose expression went from exasperation to shock.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
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The Too Much actress gazed at the camera while sitting on a velvet couch, her white bathrobe strategically arranged to add some subtle coverage to the intimate photo.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gawked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gawked. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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