rubberneck 1 of 2

Definition of rubbernecknext
as in tourist
a person who travels for pleasure every year raucous rubbernecks by the busload descend upon the city for its famed Mardi Gras

Synonyms & Similar Words

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rubberneck

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rubberneck
Noun
Yet the car will likely obey speed limits, never get drowsy or drunk and never rubberneck or give in to road rage. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 22 June 2025 Flimflam felt better in the mouth than swindle, and rubberneck was a more agreeable verb than crane. Ralph Keyes, Time, 1 Apr. 2021
Verb
The sidewalk was bustling, but no one even bothered to rubberneck. Amanda Peet, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026 The whole of football is rubbernecking in their direction. Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rubberneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubberneck
Noun
  • Just a forehand shot away from the red clay courts, Auteuil is an authentic pocket of Paris that’s far from the tourist throngs—and the stereotypes sometimes saddled on it by east-leaning Parisians.
    Mary Winston Nicklin, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
  • In the country’s biggest tourist hotspots, visitors will see tighter security measures and heavier police presence meant to safeguard both fans and Mexico’s public image.
    Michael Rios, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • The Luce’s quiet-luxury design will also please those browsing Ferrari’s new fashion stores to make a purchase and not just gawk at the prices.
    Alistair Charlton, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
  • This seemingly reflexive action of whipping out their phones while gawking and filming isn’t a novel occurrence.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • Mark my words, Rosewood will make travelers start regarding Phuket as a tasteful destination, to tack on as the beach break during trips to Bangkok or Singapore.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
  • Most travelers surveyed said their biggest regrets occurred as young adults.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • In another Amsterdam photo, a pair of identical world globes, recalling Ghirri’s passion for cartography and atlases, rest on matching supports to conjure that oldest of surrealist tropes, a pair of staring eyes.
    James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • Sure, there are probably supermodels, sports stars, and famous actors in your midst (don’t stare).
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Stood frozen to the backdrop of unrestrained exultation, Cholowsky — the presumptive top pick in July’s MLB Draft — gazed over the boy’s shoulder with a thousand-yard stare.
    Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 1 June 2026
  • As a scorching wind tears across the barren, rocky slopes of Komote Island off the shore of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya, Alfred Lenkutuk sits in the meager shelter of his hut, gazing out over the village where he was born and remembering better times.
    Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rubberneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubberneck. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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