as in staring
to look long and hard in wonder or surprise
visitors seem mesmerized as they peer at the variety of marine life in the aquarium's huge tank
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Recent Examples of peering
Rest and relaxation are otherwise encouraged via the design itself, from the warm woods that wrap around the place to the open design that prioritizes open spaces for roaming, lots of windows for peering outside, and a bathroom with a massive tub for taking a good long soak.
—
Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026
Then, while Louise was peering through the letterbox, our mother alighted from the back of a black cab.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Outside City Hall, New Yorkers and tourists frequently stop for selfies, peering through the iron gates in search of the mayor.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
So what can a few hours of peering out the window from 4,000 miles away really tell us about the Moon?
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Our neighbors, an American couple, split a bottle of wine while peering into the distance through binoculars, scanning for whales.
—Akash Kapur, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
Each shot shows Jessica Lange peering out of an old window, wearing a blue dress and heels.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
Firouzja was peering behind Hans.
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
In the next photo, her two boys could be seen peering over a large tank at the aquarium, with a plastic children’s leash connecting Hayden to the Bachelor in Paradise alum’s wrist.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026
Then, while Louise was peering through the letterbox, our mother alighted from the back of a black cab.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Outside City Hall, New Yorkers and tourists frequently stop for selfies, peering through the iron gates in search of the mayor.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
So what can a few hours of peering out the window from 4,000 miles away really tell us about the Moon?
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Our neighbors, an American couple, split a bottle of wine while peering into the distance through binoculars, scanning for whales.
—Akash Kapur, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
Each shot shows Jessica Lange peering out of an old window, wearing a blue dress and heels.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
Firouzja was peering behind Hans.
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
In the next photo, her two boys could be seen peering over a large tank at the aquarium, with a plastic children’s leash connecting Hayden to the Bachelor in Paradise alum’s wrist.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peering
Verb
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Up on their hind legs, sitting around me, staring at me.—
Sabienna Bowman,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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After staring at the dog for 90 seconds, Green went back into his apartment and then threw a cutting board at the dog.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Days are spent barefoot, raising turnips, sitting out by the lake, gazing at the cattle.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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Sifting through data from sun-gazing spacecraft, Battams’s project has found more than 5,000 so far.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those are important characteristics for advertisers seeking to make dynamic campaigns for an audience that's grown accustomed to viewing short-form videos on Reels or gawking at cat photos on Facebook and Instagram.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
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On a typical day, the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale reverberates with animal cries and the footfalls of gawking visitors.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Peering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peering. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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