Meaning & use
make eye contact
Last updated
Meanings
phraseidiom
to look directly into someone's eyes at the same time as they look into yours.
Grammar: No object; usually followed by with: make eye contact with someone.
Patterns
- make eye contact with someone
- make eye contact
She made eye contact with the interviewer and smiled confidently.
He avoided making eye contact because he felt nervous.
Good speakers make eye contact with different people in the audience.
phraseidiom
to look at someone in a way that shows you are paying attention or being honest.
Grammar: Often used in advice about communication or job interviews. Usually with with.
Patterns
- make eye contact with someone
- make direct eye contact
When you apologize, it helps to make eye contact so the other person knows you mean it.
The teacher told the students to make eye contact when they speak in class.
In some cultures, making eye contact with an elder can be considered rude.
Common combinations
- make eye contact with someone
- Try to make eye contact with the person you are talking to.
- avoid eye contact
- He avoided eye contact because he was ashamed.
- direct eye contact
- Direct eye contact can show confidence.
- hold eye contact
- She held eye contact for a few seconds before answering.
Synonyms and how they differ
- look someone in the eye
- Similar meaning but often implies honesty or courage, and is used in more emotional contexts.
- gaze
- A verb meaning to look steadily, but it does not specifically mean looking into someone's eyes.
Opposites
Word family
- eye contact noun
- the act of looking into someone's eyes
Practice
During the presentation, she ______ with several people in the audience.
Choose one answer.
Made eye contact is correct because the phrase is fixed and does not take an article or plural. 'Made eye contact to' is wrong because the preposition is with, not to. 'Made an eye contact' is wrong because eye contact is uncountable in this phrase. 'Made eye contacts' is wrong because the phrase is not used in the plural.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “make eye contact”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.