as in gazed
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
Relevance
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 stared
The two men, in their respective corners, stared each other down.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Both stared in my direction, looking surprised at the chance for free food out here.
—David Zeug, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
LeBron James stared stoically at the video board.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Near the launch site, members of the crowd shrieked or stared in disbelief.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
The brothers all dressed in a uniform of dark suits and open shirts, and Oren stared intently into the jury pool.
—Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Jan. 2026
Social media users have stared deep into that footage, and some have seen their own reflection.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The franchise staple stared around an emptying room, only rising as manager John Schneider approached.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Freeman stared at the video screen with his mouth open.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Both stared in my direction, looking surprised at the chance for free food out here.
—David Zeug, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
LeBron James stared stoically at the video board.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Near the launch site, members of the crowd shrieked or stared in disbelief.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
The brothers all dressed in a uniform of dark suits and open shirts, and Oren stared intently into the jury pool.
—Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Jan. 2026
Social media users have stared deep into that footage, and some have seen their own reflection.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The franchise staple stared around an emptying room, only rising as manager John Schneider approached.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Freeman stared at the video screen with his mouth open.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stared
Verb
-
As organizers headed back to their vehicles Friday, Pepe de la Torre, 64, ate a red apple and gazed at the crowd.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Accentuating her features with her signature brown smoky eyeshadow, matte mauve lipstick, and a pink flush on her cheekbones, Kylie puffed on a cigarette and gazed into the camera’s lens as the shot faded to black.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Still, other Coppin State runners gawked at his broad chest, bulging biceps and thick quads.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
-
They’re presented as endearing surprises of nature and life, celebrated rather than gawked at.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Nearby, a mating pair of wild swans that live on the lake peered over the fence.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Later Tuesday night, as protesters marched toward Commerce Street, people cheered from rooftops, peered from apartment windows and leaned over parking garage balconies to capture photos and videos of the commotion.—
Elissa Jorgensen,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stared. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
