Meaning & use

rubbernecking

noun·Everyday

The act of staring for an unusually long time at something of interest, especially while driving past an accident.

See it in a sentence

Rubbernecking near the crash caused traffic to slow down for miles.

Tourists were rubbernecking at the celebrity as she left the restaurant.

A note on using this word

The word comes from the image of craning one's neck to see something better, and it often implies rude or excessive curiosity.

Words with a similar meaning

gawking

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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