Staring Definition and Meaning
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Published on July 12, 2025
Staring refers to look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something with one’s eyes wide open. e.g., He was staring out the window, lost in thought.
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Staring Definitions
To look intently, often with a wide-eyed gaze.
They were staring at the screen during the entire movie.
To fix one’s eyes firmly on someone or something.
The cat was staring at the mouse hole.
To gaze with eyes wide open.
She was staring at the painting, mesmerized.
To gaze openly and boldly.
She caught him staring and blushed.
To observe unwaveringly.
They were staring down their opponents in the final round.
ADVERTISEMENT
To peer or look closely and intensely, often rudely.
It’s not polite to keep staring at strangers.
To look steadily and hard without blinking.
He kept staring at the horizon, waiting for a sign.
To behold with a fixed or intent gaze.
The child was staring at the candy display.
To look directly, fixedly, or vacantly, often with a wide-eyed gaze.
To look at directly and fixedly
Stared him in the eyes.
An intent gaze.
Present participle of stare
The act of one who stares.
Shining; vivid, garish.
Looking fixedly with wide-open eyes.
(obsolete) Sensational, lurid.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder;
Staring eyes
Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers;
An arrant fool
A complete coward
A consummate fool
A double-dyed villain
Gross negligence
A perfect idiot
Pure folly
What a sodding mess
Stark staring mad
A thoroughgoing villain
Utter nonsense
With a stare;
`quoi?' asked Blanchard, staring
To look directly and continuously.
The audience was staring in amazement.
To focus one’s sight or attention intensely.
He was staring into space, deep in thought.
Staring Snonyms
Watching
To observe attentively or carefully.
The guard was watching the entrance all night.
Eyeballing
Informal way to say looking or staring intensely.
The coach was eyeballing the players during the drill.
Glaring
To stare in a fiercely or angrily intense manner.
He was glaring at the person who bumped into him.
Peering
To look keenly or with difficulty at something or someone.
She was peering through the fog to see the path.
Scrutinizing
To examine or observe with great care; inspect critically.
The editor was scrutinizing every detail of the manuscript.
Gazing
To look steadily and intently, as with great curiosity, interest, pleasure, or wonder.
She spent hours gazing at the stars.
Observing
To watch carefully the way something happens or the way someone does something.
The scientist was observing the reaction in the test tube.
Inspecting
To look carefully at or over; view closely and critically.
She was inspecting the artwork for any imperfections.
Beholding
To see or observe (a thing or person, especially a remarkable or impressive one).
Visitors were beholding the new sculpture with interest.
Surveying
To look over and examine closely.
He was surveying the landscape for any sign of movement.
Staring Idioms & Phrases
Staring into space
To look ahead without focusing on anything in particular, usually while deep in thought.
He was just staring into space, daydreaming.
Staring off into the distance
To gaze long and hard far away, often when deep in thought.
She was staring off into the distance, thinking about the future.
Staring death in the face
Confronting an extreme danger or risk of dying.
The climbers were staring death in the face during the storm.
Staring at the wall
To look continuously at the wall, typically when bored or distracted.
I was so bored during the meeting, I ended up staring at the wall.
Staring a hole through someone
To stare at someone so intently that it feels intimidating or invasive.
She felt uncomfortable as he was staring a hole through her.
Staring into the abyss
To gaze into a profound depth or void, suggesting deep contemplation or existential thinking.
Philosophers often speak of staring into the abyss.
Staring down the barrel
Facing a severe, imminent threat or danger.
He felt like he was staring down the barrel of his own demise.
Staring someone down
To look directly at someone until they feel compelled to look away.
He tried staring someone down in the debate but failed.
Staring through someone
To look at someone as if they were transparent or not there.
He felt like she was staring through him, seeing his true thoughts.
Staring point-blank
To look directly at someone in a confrontational or intense manner.
The witness was staring point-blank at the accused.
Staring at the ceiling
To look upwards at the ceiling, often while lying down and lost in thought.
He spent the night staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
Staring into each other's eyes
To look deeply into another's eyes, typically indicating romantic or deep connection.
The couple was staring into each other's eyes, completely in love.
Staring down a problem
To confront a challenge directly and resolutely.
They were staring down a problem that could define their company's future.
Staring at your shoes
To look down at one's shoes, typically indicating nervousness or embarrassment.
When asked about his mistake, he was just staring at his shoes.
Staring back
To return someone's stare, often as a challenge or in response to their gaze.
She started staring back to show she wasn't intimidated.
Staring blankly
To look without expression, typically indicating confusion or detachment.
After hearing the news, she was just staring blankly.
Staring match
A contest where two people stare at each other until one blinks or looks away.
The children engaged in a staring match to settle their dispute.
Staring over someone’s shoulder
To look over or beyond someone, sometimes indicating a lack of attention to them.
She found it rude that he kept staring over her shoulder during their conversation.
Caught staring
To be noticed while looking intently or rudely at someone or something.
He was embarrassed after being caught staring at the celebrity.
No use staring at a closed door
An expression suggesting it is unhelpful to fixate on something that cannot be changed or is over.
He told her there was no use staring at a closed door, advising her to move on.
Staring Example Sentences
She kept staring out the window, wishing for a sunny day.
The whole class was staring at the new student.
While at the zoo, the kids were staring at the lions.
The dog was staring at the door, waiting for its owner to come home.
During the concert, everyone was staring at the stage, captivated.
She was staring into the mirror, practicing her speech.
He was staring at the board, trying to solve the puzzle.
The teacher noticed him staring at his watch frequently.
They were staring at the sky, hoping to see a shooting star.
He found himself staring at the old photos, lost in nostalgia.
They were staring at the menu, undecided about what to order.
She was staring at the recipe book, planning her next meal.
At the museum, visitors were staring at the masterpiece in awe.
He was staring at the ground, avoiding eye contact.
The goalkeeper kept staring at the football, focusing intensely.
Common Curiosities
Why is it called staring?
"Staring" comes from the Middle English word "steren," which means to look fixedly or hard. It captures the essence of gazing intently or fixedly at something.
How many syllables are in staring?
Staring has two syllables.
How is staring used in a sentence?
Staring is used to describe the action of looking fixedly at something or someone, often for a long time. e.g., They spent the evening staring at the stars.
How do we divide staring into syllables?
Staring is divided into syllables as: star-ing.
What is a stressed syllable in staring?
The stressed syllable in "staring" is the first syllable, star-.
What is the verb form of staring?
Staring is the present participle of the verb "stare."
What is the first form of staring?
The first form of "staring" is "stare."
What is another term for staring?
Another term for "staring" is "gazing."
What is the root word of staring?
The root word of "staring" is "stare."
What is the second form of staring?
The second form of "staring" is "stared."
What is the third form of staring?
The third form of "staring" is also "stared."
What is the singular form of staring?
Staring does not have a singular form as it is a verb; its base form is "stare."
What is the plural form of staring?
Staring, being a verb, does not have a plural form.
Is the word “staring” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
As a verb form, staring cannot be a direct or indirect object itself but can involve them in sentences.
What is the pronunciation of staring?
Staring is pronounced as /ˈstɛərɪŋ/.
Is staring a noun or adjective?
Staring is a verb, particularly used as an adjective in forms like "staring eyes."
Is staring a countable noun?
Staring is not a noun; it is a verb and can be an adjective.
Is staring a collective noun?
No, staring is not a noun; it is a verb and sometimes an adjective.
Is the word staring imperative?
Staring can be used in the imperative form of "stare" when giving commands.
Which determiner is used with staring?
As a verb form, staring typically does not directly involve determiners.
Which preposition is used with staring?
Common prepositions used with "staring" include "at" and "into."
Which conjunction is used with staring?
Conjunctions such as "and," "but," and "while" can be used with "staring," depending on sentence construction.
Which article is used with staring?
As a verb form, "staring" does not typically use articles. When used adjectivally as in "staring eyes," the article would depend on the noun it modifies.
What is the opposite of staring?
The opposite of staring could be "ignoring" or "overlooking."
Is staring an adverb?
No, staring is not an adverb.
Is staring an abstract noun?
No, staring is a verb and can act as an adjective.
Is staring a negative or positive word?
Staring is generally considered neutral, but it can have negative connotations depending on the context.
Is staring a vowel or consonant?
The word "staring" starts with a consonant sound.
Is the staring term a metaphor?
Staring can be used metaphorically to indicate intense focus or attention.
Which vowel is used before staring?
The vowel used before "staring" can vary depending on the sentence structure. There is no specific vowel always used before it.
What part of speech is staring?
Staring is a verb, specifically the present participle form of "stare."
Is the word staring a Gerund?
Yes, "staring" can be used as a gerund, which is the noun form of the verb "stare."
Share Your Discovery
Previous Term
Stand for Definition and Meaning
Next Term
Obey Definition and MeaningAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
