gazed; gazing; gazes
: to fix the eyes in a steady intent look often with eagerness or studious attention
gazed out the window at the snow
gazer
noun
plural gazers
plural gazes
1
: a fixed intent look
a steady gaze
He fixed his gaze out the window.
She lowered/dropped/raised her gaze.
I met his gaze. [=I looked back at him.]
2
: the collective preferences and expectations of a usually privileged social group especially when imposed as a standard or norm on other groups
In 1973, British feminist film writer Laura Mulvey wrote a seminal essay called "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema", which explored how mainstream films appealed to a male gaze—a term she coined—because the industry was dominated by men who, inevitably, constructed representations of women from a masculine point of view.—
Kerrie O'Brien
Kerrie O'BrienSo few slots are available for nonwhite writers that those who break through are sometimes themselves charged with … exaggerating elements of their culture for a white gaze; living up to the image that white writers have created for them, the easier to be packaged and sold.—Ligaya Mishan
Ligaya MishanIt looks like a gentle scene of a seaside vacation. But this painting by Berthe Morisot, perhaps the most underrated Impressionist, is a layered vision of a dawning modern age and a rare glimpse at the 19th-century female gaze.—Natasha Frost
Natasha FrostExamples of gaze in a Sentence
Verb
He gazed out the window at the snow.
She gazed intently into his eyes.
Noun
She looked at him with a calm, steady gaze.
suddenly aware of her admiring gaze, he became self-conscious and uncomfortable
Recent Examples on the Web
Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025
At 1,500-foot elevation, sip a banana daiquiri while scanning the panoramic view, gazing to the north at St. Thomas’s uninhabited island, then to the east at the British Virgin Islands.
—Carol M. Bareuther, AFAR Media, 20 Feb. 2025
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
The cover image is one of several that show Barbara with her dark hair obscuring her face, an adolescent Cousin Itt, hiding from the parental gaze.
—Helen Sullivan, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaze
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Like Michel Hazanavicius’ Godard Mon Amour, also set during May ’68, France’s chaotic history feels like a colorful backdrop for comedy, with lots of vintage costumes, old cars and sepia-toned set decorations to gaze at.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025
At 1,500-foot elevation, sip a banana daiquiri while scanning the panoramic view, gazing to the north at St. Thomas’s uninhabited island, then to the east at the British Virgin Islands.
—Carol M. Bareuther, AFAR Media, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
Her understanding of her body and her steely gaze has only deepened since then, culminating in her Best Actress win at the Academy Awards for 2022’s Everything Everywhere All at Once.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
The cover image is one of several that show Barbara with her dark hair obscuring her face, an adolescent Cousin Itt, hiding from the parental gaze.
—Helen Sullivan, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaze
Cite this Entry
“Gaze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaze. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share