MEANING
To look steadily and attentively at something, often for longer than usual.
Use it for
Describe a steady, absorbed look.Slows the reader’s attention and can show absorption without explaining what a character feels.
Words that belong together
- gaze at the horizon
- gaze into the distance
- gaze steadily
On the page
She gazed through the train window as the city gave way to winter fields.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- gaze
- Third-person present
- gazes
- Past tense
- gazed
- Past participle
- gazed
- Present participle
- gazing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- gaze / gazes
- Present continuous
- am/is/are gazing
- Present perfect
- have/has gazed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been gazing
- Past
- gazed
- Past continuous
- was/were gazing
- Past perfect
- had gazed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been gazing
- Future
- will gaze
- Future continuous
- will be gazing
- Future perfect
- will have gazed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been gazing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Usually takes “at” or “into”; it suggests sustained looking, but not necessarily surprise or admiration.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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