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Glite Dictionary
rubbernecker

rubbernecker

1 8.6
A person who stares for too long at accidents or unusual events
  • noun
  • /ˈrʌbərˌnɛkər/
  • Informal
translation icon : mirón
  • Outside (visible beyond the doors) it's total pandemonium, with cops and ambulances, and of course a huge crowd of rubberneckers.

Examples

  • Rubberneckers at a crash site, everyone rushes to the edge, peering down...

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Rubberneckers and people pointing up to the broken window.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The blue and red lights on top of the car were a rubbernecker's dream.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Lots of rubberneckers slowing down to look.

    The Temp (1993)

  • I have no idea how many rubberneckers went by (at 4:45 in the afternoon)...

    Blog text (23)

  • Thursday evening traffic was as bad as predicted, made worse by the sluggish rain and the rubberneckers who couldn't resist a long, fascinated goggle at the three-car accident on the Baltimore Beltway.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • The rubberneckers gathered at the accident scene, eagerly trying to see what had happened.

  • As the fire truck arrived, a crowd of rubberneckers formed, curious about the commotion.

  • Rubberneckers often slow down traffic as they gaze at unusual roadside events.

Synonyms

gawker
vsrubbernecker
  • Informal
7 7.6

A person who stares openly and rudely at something unusual

focuses more on accidents and intense curiosity
gazer
vsrubbernecker
2 4.0

A person who looks at something for a long time with interest or wonder

is more intrusive and focuses on accidents or odd events
rubberneck
vsrubbernecker
  • Informal
1 8.8

A person who stares at accidents or strange events

is the same meaning but uses a different noun form
gaper
vsrubbernecker
1 7.5

A person who stares with their mouth open in surprise or curiosity

stares similarly but focuses more on accidents
starer
vsrubbernecker
1 6.7

A person who looks at someone for a long time in an unfriendly way

is driven by inquisitive curiosity rather than hostility
looker-on
vsrubbernecker
4.4

A person who watches an event without taking part

is more intrusive and stares curiously at accidents
nosey-parker
vsrubbernecker
  • UK
9.1

A person who tries to find out what other people are doing when it does not concern them

focuses on visible unusual events rather than private affairs

Antonyms

disinterest
5 5.8

Not feeling interested in something, like a talk or task

How Curious

rubbernecker
  • Informal
1 8.6
gawker
  • Informal
7 7.6
onlooker
24 3.2
bystander
84 3.4
passerby
  • US
12 3.3

Surface Forms

rubbernecker singular
rubberneckers plural

Morphology

rubbernecker = rubberneck (transparent) = rubber + neck + er

Formed from the verb 'rubberneck' plus the agentive suffix '-er'; the agentive meaning ('one who rubbernecks') is directly predictable.

Etymology

Rubbernecker comes from rubber ('flexible') and neck ('the part of the body you turn to look'). It gives the image of someone who can 'turn their neck' like it is made of rubber to stare at accidents or unusual events, so a rubbernecker is a person who looks with too much curiosity.