rubberneck 1 of 2

noun

ˈrə-bər-ˌnek How to pronounce rubberneck (audio)
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

as in to gawk
to look long and hard in wonder or surprise thoughtless drivers pausing on the highway to rubberneck at the accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
So there’s no reason to rubberneck Tagovailoa’s career, praising his success, or celebrating his failures. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026 Time to put fingers over your eyes, otherwise this is just rubbernecking. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rubberneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubberneck
  1. tourist
  2. gawk
  3. traveler
  4. stare
  5. gaze
Noun
  • The Pierside in Santa Monica has been exceptionally busy during the World Cup, with many tourists opting to stay near the beach despite the longer trek to SoFi Stadium where the games are held.
    — Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • But Loftis is determined to build a better future for his teenage son and turn the island into a tourist destination.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 9 July 2026
Definition of tourist
Verb
  • Instead, the skin-frying Friday saw common flow of people going through, gawking at the large screens and a group of sailors allowing some passing by to do pull-ups from a bar.
    — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The walk to the stadium is a mile or so along the Alaskan Way, where restaurants like the Crab Pot are opening up, but everyone is gawking at the street spectacle.
    — Simon Hughes, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of gawk
Noun
  • Advanced laser treatments have become one of the fastest-growing segments of the global beauty tourism market as travelers increasingly seek specialized aesthetic care abroad.
    — Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
  • Another measles case has been confirmed in Los Angeles County, in a traveler who arrived at the international terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in early July, health authorities said.
    — Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of traveler
Verb
  • His suns stare curiously from one side of a page spread to another and his stacks of hay worriedly study the horizon, while his one-eyed stools and one-eyed fenceposts pop up like eager cyclopses.
    — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 7 July 2026
  • No foul was assessed in real time, and the red card was awarded only after the official stared at a slow-motion replay.
    — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of stare
Verb
  • An 1812 portrait by Thomas Sully presented him with a long, downturned nose and corners of his mouth to match, leaning on one hand at his desk and gazing over the pages of an open book.
    — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • Terrion Arnold walked across the draft stage in Detroit in April 2024, gazed out at a then-record crowd after being selected by the host city’s franchise and delivered a message to Lions fans tuning in to see their newest addition.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of gaze

Browse Nearby Words

rubberlike
rubberneck
rubbernecked
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Cite this Entry

“Rubberneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubberneck. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rubberneck

Nglish: Translation of rubberneck for Spanish Speakers

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