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
  • Yellowstone sees the most deaths during the tourist months running from May through October, with July featuring nearly 25 percent of all recorded tragedies.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 July 2026
  • Club homeowners are not merely annoyed by tourist bonanzas like the World Cup — Airbnb is FIFA’s official lodging partner — or the Ultra music festival, Spring Break and Formula 1 weekend.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 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
  • Its next chapter should be measured not only by how many travelers arrive, but by how many families from the region are able to participate in what tourism creates.
    — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • Yet according to Ethan Lin, Klook’s cofounder and CEO, Western travelers account for a growing share of users.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of traveler
Verb
  • But in keeping with its protagonist’s difficulty staring at his feelings head-on, The Vampire Lestat—and the marketing that preceded its premiere—doesn’t start with ballads or sensual odes to far-reaching love.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
  • From an underwater viewing area, Chinita Head, 52, stared past the glass alongside her 6-year-old nephew, Christian Walker.
    — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of stare
Verb
  • Martin’s most poignant moment all season is her inscrutable look as Raskova gazes between Anastasia and Sasha; two people sacrificing themselves for love is unfathomable to her.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • Curious passersby stopped throughout the day, gazing up at what used to be the Pfizer headquarters building.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Definition of gaze

Browse Nearby Words

rubberlike
rubberneck
rubbernecked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rubberneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubberneck. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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