as in stared
to look long and hard in wonder or surprise
thoughtless drivers pausing on the highway to rubberneck at the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbernecked
Verb
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Hunter-Torricke stared at the dead child and thought of his father.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026 -
There on the wall, a picture of Verlander stared at them.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Still, other Coppin State runners gawked at his broad chest, bulging biceps and thick quads.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
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They’re presented as endearing surprises of nature and life, celebrated rather than gawked at.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Dreher led me to a spot at the center of the nave and gazed down.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
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Betts gazed back with angst, momentarily annoyed with her coach.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Rubbernecked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbernecked. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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