Meaning & use
stare intently
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Meaning
phraseintransitive
To look at someone or something with a long, fixed, and very focused gaze.
Grammar: No object; often followed by 'at': stare intently at the screen. It describes a continuous action.
Patterns
- stare intently at someone
- stare intently at something
- stare intently into something
He stared intently at the chessboard, planning his next move.
She stared intently into the fire, lost in thought.
The cat stared intently at the bird outside the window.
Common combinations
- stare intently at
- The students stared intently at the teacher during the experiment.
- stare intently into
- He stared intently into her eyes and said nothing.
- stare intently through
- She stared intently through the telescope at the distant planet.
- stare intently for a long time
- He stared intently for a long time before answering.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gaze intently
- Similar, but 'gaze' often suggests admiration or wonder, while 'stare' can seem more intense or rude.
- peer intently
- To look closely with effort, often because something is hard to see; 'stare intently' is more about fixed attention.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: stare intently or stare vs. glare?
stare intently vs stare vs. glare
'Stare' is a long look, often without emotion; 'glare' is an angry or fierce look. 'Stare intently' does not imply anger.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The correct preposition after 'stare intently' is 'at'. Options B, C, and D use wrong prepositions or no preposition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stare intently”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.