Meaning & use
stares stupidly
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Meaning
phraseidiom
Looks at someone or something in a foolish, blank, or confused way, often with the mouth open.
Grammar: The verb 'stare' is intransitive here, so it is followed by the adverb 'stupidly' and often by 'at' plus an object: stare stupidly at someone.
Patterns
- stare stupidly at someone/something
He stared stupidly at the broken vase, unable to believe what had happened.
She stared stupidly at the instructions, as if they were written in a foreign language.
The audience stared stupidly at the magician, trying to figure out how the trick worked.
Common combinations
- stare stupidly at
- The child stared stupidly at the strange machine.
- stare stupidly into space
- He sat staring stupidly into space during the whole meeting.
- stare stupidly back
- When I asked her a question, she just stared stupidly back at me.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stare blankly
- This suggests a completely empty expression, while 'stare stupidly' suggests a lack of intelligence or understanding.
- gape
- This is more literary and often implies an open mouth; 'stare stupidly' is more everyday and focuses on the foolish look.
Practice
Choose the correct preposition: 'The boy stared stupidly ___ the strange animal in the zoo.'
Choose one answer.
We use 'stare at' when looking directly at something. 'Stare on' is not standard; 'stare to' and 'stare for' are not used in this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stares stupidly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.