as in gazes
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
as in eyes
a fixed intent look
caught the child's wide-eyed stare on film
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stares
Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Providing some respite from the violent mayhem are scenes in which Manafort stares intently at computer screens tracking what’s going on and the new MI6 chief (Ackie) barks orders at her underlings.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 28 Jan. 2026
Dot stands patiently in heavy fabrics on a Sunday, while George stares at her with a razor focus that never penetrates her soul.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Another stares straight ahead, revealing no emotion, a mystery deepened by the bags under her eyes and the safety pin stabbed through her nose.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025
In making the documentary, Craig stayed true to his and his brother’s body of work, which stares with unblinking eyes at the repercussions of violence.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 Dec. 2025
Further back, Pablo Picasso takes a gentle rest on his haunches and stares off into space.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025
Kylie asks as Bennett just stares silently.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
Even if Dad does clench his jaw and Mom stares into space, pretending not to care.
—Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
At the gym, located in Garden Grove, Hansen says they were met with unwelcoming and leering stares before entering the facility.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
In Iris’ eyes (which Petrova communicates nonverbally via smitten stares), bonding with Aris, even if under circumstances mostly advantageous to him, fills an empty cup within her.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
Salerno claims her team was disqualified from the following meet and then began to face intimidating stares from the trans athlete at public events.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 14 Jan. 2026
But, if dressed in modern attire, this prehistoric relative may not have drawn too many stares on a subway train.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
Just silence and forlorn stares of players stuck in a state of bafflement and disappointment.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
Transitioning away from family has its benefits and drawbacks, but most of us eventually have to face the challenge of walking through the front door again for the first time as our true selves, seeing familiar faces and fielding uncomfortable stares.
—Sydney Bauer, Them., 21 Nov. 2025
Some feminists saw that as presumption, skipping the long price of admission—slights, salaries, stares.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
As Ji Seon stares in shock, her friends cheer in the background, chanting at her to say yes, ha.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Providing some respite from the violent mayhem are scenes in which Manafort stares intently at computer screens tracking what’s going on and the new MI6 chief (Ackie) barks orders at her underlings.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 28 Jan. 2026
Dot stands patiently in heavy fabrics on a Sunday, while George stares at her with a razor focus that never penetrates her soul.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Another stares straight ahead, revealing no emotion, a mystery deepened by the bags under her eyes and the safety pin stabbed through her nose.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025
In making the documentary, Craig stayed true to his and his brother’s body of work, which stares with unblinking eyes at the repercussions of violence.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 Dec. 2025
Further back, Pablo Picasso takes a gentle rest on his haunches and stares off into space.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025
Kylie asks as Bennett just stares silently.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
Even if Dad does clench his jaw and Mom stares into space, pretending not to care.
—Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
Noun
Indeed, compared with the realistically creased faces and hangdog stares of the Cubs, the Boston fans behind them are closer to grotesques, an inhuman crush of caricatures.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
At the gym, located in Garden Grove, Hansen says they were met with unwelcoming and leering stares before entering the facility.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
In Iris’ eyes (which Petrova communicates nonverbally via smitten stares), bonding with Aris, even if under circumstances mostly advantageous to him, fills an empty cup within her.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
Salerno claims her team was disqualified from the following meet and then began to face intimidating stares from the trans athlete at public events.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 14 Jan. 2026
But, if dressed in modern attire, this prehistoric relative may not have drawn too many stares on a subway train.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
Just silence and forlorn stares of players stuck in a state of bafflement and disappointment.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
Transitioning away from family has its benefits and drawbacks, but most of us eventually have to face the challenge of walking through the front door again for the first time as our true selves, seeing familiar faces and fielding uncomfortable stares.
—Sydney Bauer, Them., 21 Nov. 2025
Some feminists saw that as presumption, skipping the long price of admission—slights, salaries, stares.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stares
Verb
-
As for the tourists, their van pulls up, far in the background of a long shot that gazes through the grand lobby of the hotel—where, in the foreground, a small folk orchestra of blind musicians, accompanied by a dance troupe’s festive gyrations, provides a showy welcome.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Curving around the glistening, glacial Sarmiento Lake, an amphitheater of rooms gazes up at the Paine massif, with scenes constantly shifting depending on the time of day.—
Sarah Marshall,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But that’s not what the nebula would look like to human eyes, as the non-polarized version below clearly shows.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
And while their steamy, sweaty dalliances are hot and heavy (albeit mostly clothed), most swoonworthy are the smaller moments, like Heathcliff gently cupping his hands to keep the rain out of Cathy’s eyes.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stares. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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