Synonyms

staring

American

[stair-ing] / ˈstɛər ɪŋ /

adjective

gazing fixedly and intently, especially with the eyes wide open.

Standing in front of Jane’s staring face, Ravi lifted the conch shell above his head and smashed it into a hundred pieces on the floor.
boldly, inescapably, or obnoxiously conspicuous; glaring.

Whenever I dwell on my own shortcomings, they begin to seem mild and harmless, not at all like the staring defects in other people's characters.

adverb

Chiefly British. glaringly or conspicuously; thoroughly (often preceded bystark ).

This "borrow and spend" policy is stark staring bonkers.

Other Word Forms

staringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of staring

star(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The affiliate was staring down an estimated $100 million shortfall, more than half its annual budget.

From The Wall Street Journal

Stephen Colletti made his love for the fish clear, posting a video longingly staring at a full case of salmon in a supermarket.

From Salon

From staring at a momentum-busting defeat, England had a fifth successive win to take with them going forward.

From BBC

Or they could be further toiling to defend their title and staring at a trophyless campaign.

From BBC

And if, during the first few minutes of your chat, you find yourself unable to stop staring, unable to overlook the fact that Duane is a polar bear, do not worry.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023