as in gazing
to look long and hard in wonder or surprise
her friends stared in disbelief upon seeing her walking arm in arm with her ex-husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of staring
Before that incident, he is accused of staring at a woman and child for several minutes.
—
Nikiya Carrero, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Smartphones onstage can be weird and deadly, but one of the most striking moments in Jeena Yi’s Jesa happens as all the play’s actors are staring into one.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2026
That is a staggering number of people who are now staring at red Xs on their screens.
—Ryan Brennan
march 20, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
The final episode underscores that perspective with a montage of women staring directly into the camera, and, by extension, the viewer.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
But nothing is more unnerving than getting the notification, sprinting to the door, and finding an empty porch staring back at you.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Not a passive one staring at a monitor in another state, but an active presence — someone who notices the unlocked window, who hears the footstep on the porch, who understands that an elder’s sudden confusion might signal a urinary tract infection.
—Neal K. Shah, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Shop them in the list below so everyone will be staring at your new drinkware this spring.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
An analysis of the recordings showed that the parents behaved aggressively toward the divers more often when the human interlopers were staring at the offspring or the parent, compared with when the diver was looking in another direction or completely turned away.
—Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Nikiya Carrero, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Smartphones onstage can be weird and deadly, but one of the most striking moments in Jeena Yi’s Jesa happens as all the play’s actors are staring into one.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2026
That is a staggering number of people who are now staring at red Xs on their screens.
—Ryan Brennan
march 20, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
The final episode underscores that perspective with a montage of women staring directly into the camera, and, by extension, the viewer.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
But nothing is more unnerving than getting the notification, sprinting to the door, and finding an empty porch staring back at you.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Not a passive one staring at a monitor in another state, but an active presence — someone who notices the unlocked window, who hears the footstep on the porch, who understands that an elder’s sudden confusion might signal a urinary tract infection.
—Neal K. Shah, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Shop them in the list below so everyone will be staring at your new drinkware this spring.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
An analysis of the recordings showed that the parents behaved aggressively toward the divers more often when the human interlopers were staring at the offspring or the parent, compared with when the diver was looking in another direction or completely turned away.
—Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staring
Verb
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The springs are the perfect location for a picnic and an afternoon spent lounging and swimming in the pool of clear, clean spring water and gazing at the small waterfall.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
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But the real luxury is the intimacy and hands-on attention guests receive, from sitting by the fire and gazing out at the glaciers to shredding powder in the alpine.—
Jen Murphy,
Robb Report,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
-
Armed soldiers patrolled in droves, spreading hate and fear everywhere, blindfolding children, pointing guns, gawking, spitting, laughing at us like animals in the zoo.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staring. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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