Meaning & use
glazing eyes
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Eyes that become dull, unfocused, or glassy, often because the person is tired, bored, or not paying attention.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; often appears in the structure 'someone's eyes are glazing over' or 'with glazing eyes'.
Patterns
- eyes glazing over
- with glazing eyes
- someone's eyes glaze over
During the long lecture, I noticed the students' glazing eyes and knew they had stopped listening.
He stared at the screen with glazing eyes, too tired to read another word.
Her eyes were glazing over as she tried to follow the complicated instructions.
phrasefixed phrasemedical
The action of eyes becoming covered with a smooth, shiny layer, as in some medical or physical conditions.
Grammar: Technical use; usually describes a physical change to the surface of the eye.
Patterns
- glazing of the eyes
- eyes glazing over
The veterinarian noted the glazing of the animal's eyes as a sign of illness.
In severe dehydration, glazing eyes can be an early symptom.
Common combinations
- eyes glazing over
- I could see his eyes glazing over during my explanation.
- with glazing eyes
- She sat with glazing eyes, exhausted from the night shift.
- leave someone with glazing eyes
- The boring speech left the audience with glazing eyes.
- glazing over
- The students were glazing over after lunch.
Synonyms and how they differ
- glazed eyes
- Describes the resulting state of dull, glassy eyes, while 'glazing eyes' emphasizes the process of becoming dull.
- blank stare
- A look with no expression or interest; 'glazing eyes' specifically suggests a shiny, unfocused quality.
- dull eyes
- Simply lacking brightness; 'glazing eyes' often implies boredom or fatigue.
Opposites
Word family
- glaze verb
- To become dull or glassy, or to cover with a shiny surface.
- glazed adjective
- Having a dull, glassy appearance, as in 'glazed eyes'.
Commonly confused: glazing eyes or glazing? glazing eyes or gazing?
glazing eyes vs glazing
As a noun, 'glazing' often refers to glass fitted into windows; as a verb, it can mean fitting glass or covering with a shiny coating. 'Glazing eyes' is a specific phrase about eyes becoming dull.
glazing eyes vs gazing
'Gazing' means looking steadily at something, often with interest or wonder; 'glazing' means becoming dull and unfocused.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
Option 0 correctly uses the phrase 'eyes glazing over' to mean becoming dull and unfocused from boredom. Option 1 uses 'gazing', which means looking steadily, not becoming dull. Option 2 adds an unnecessary object 'them'. Option 3 uses 'glazed over them', which is not the standard phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “glazing eyes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.