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Glite Dictionary
👀 To stare rudely 🤦 An awkward person
to gawk

to gawk

27 6.1
To stare openly at a person or thing because you feel surprised
  • verb
  • /ɡɔk/
  • Informal
translation icon : mirar embobado
  • It was hard not to gawk at the stunning sunset over the ocean.

We ate, we shopped, we gawked.

Examples

  • What are you gawking at?

    Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)

  • Isaac and Dorothy are standing in the yard, gawking at the fountain.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • - You think it's okay to gawk at her?

    The Cheat (1915)

  • Why are you gawking at me?

    Yes, Giorgio (1982)

  • Well, if you've come just to gawk at my shop, I have more important things to do.

    The Curse of La Llorona (2019)

  • People will fly here from halfway across the world to gawk at a whale or to take a picture of a gannet.

    Rare Birds (2001)

  • Rush Torrance was standing at his desk, only a few feet away, gawking at him.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • All conversation stops as the entire lunchroom gawks, my face burning into their retinas.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • We are on display, and humans stand to gawk at us, shout, and mimic feline speech, devoid of sense.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • One lioness lazily lifts her head to look askance at idling vehicles crammed with gawking tourists.

    Academic text (2009)

Synonyms

to gape
vsto gawk
14 3.8

To look with your mouth open in surprise or wonder

is a plain open stare without the strong mouth-open surprise
to gawk at
vsto gawk
  • Informal
12 6.3

To stare openly in a rude or surprised way

is more awkward or foolish rather than intentionally rude
to goggle
vsto gawk
2 6.1

To look with eyes wide open because you are surprised

is a broader open stare, not limited to wide-eyed expression
to gawp
vsto gawk
  • UK
2 9.1

To stare openly and rudely because you are surprised or curious

is a plain open stare marked by awkward amazement
to gaw
vsto gawk
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To stare openly because you are surprised or curious

is the general, non-dialectal term for the same action
to couldn't help but gawk
vsto gawk
  • Informal
8.2

To be unable to stop yourself from staring in a rude or amazed way

is the simple act of open awkward looking, not necessarily involuntary

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to look away
125 2.2

Turn your eyes away from a person or thing that makes you uncomfortable

Idioms

to couldn't help but gawk
  • Informal
8.2

To be unable to stop yourself from staring in a rude or amazed way

Phrasal Verbs

to gawk at
  • Informal
12 6.3

To stare openly in a rude or surprised way

to stand to gawk
  • Informal
6.4

To stand still and stare with your mouth open in surprise

Compounds

mopery with intent to gawk
  • Informal
9.9

An act of standing in public and staring at people without purpose

How Intently

to gape
14 3.8
to stare
∞ 1.0
to gawk
  • Informal
27 6.1
to look
∞ 1.0
to peek
119 1.1
to glance
299 1.5

Surface Forms

gawk infinitive
gawked past
gawked past participle
gawking present participle
gawks third person singular

Etymology

Gawk as a verb, meaning 'to stare openly and stupidly', comes from the same old idea of the bird image — think of a surprised bird standing with its beak open. That's why to gawk is to look at someone or something in an awkward, open-mouthed way.