# staring

/ˈstɛɹɪŋ/ (US) · /stˈeəɹɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/staring
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. the act of looking

noun · CEFR B1

the act of looking at someone or something for a long time.

For teachers: the gerund form used as a noun to describe the action of gazing fixedly.

- Constant staring can make other people feel very uncomfortable.
- The prolonged staring of the crowd made the street performer visibly nervous during his routine.

Usage: Often used as the subject of a sentence or after a preposition.

### 3. wide-eyed

adjective · CEFR B2

describing eyes that are wide open and looking fixedly.

For teachers: describing a fixed, wide-eyed expression or the eyes themselves in such a state.

- The cat watched the bird with wide, staring eyes.
- The witness gave a staring look of pure terror as she recounted the events of the previous night.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it describes.

## Examples

- Stop staring at me like that.
- The child was staring at the colorful toys in the shop window with wide eyes.
- While some cultures view prolonged eye contact as a sign of honesty, others consider staring to be an aggressive or impolite intrusion into personal space.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.