gawk

USAGE SUMMARY

'gawk' is a correct word in written English.
It is a verb which means to stare or look at someone or something in an uncomfortably intense or rude way. For example: The tourists gawked at the painting in the museum.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

At 6pm, when the signal was given and the ropes were lifted, Hindus and Muslims alike reclaimed their streets to gawk at the damage done, and then get back to business.

The Economist

Families gawk at a game enclosure featuring stuffed buffalo, grizzlies, bighorn sheep and other rarely seen emblems of the American frontier.

The Economist

"People do not look with a very good view on it," he says, "and they would want to come and gawk at me, a hangman".With a gentle smile he recalls that in 1965, when he took over from his father as Lucknow's chief executioner, the state paid 25 rupees ($5 in those days) a hanging, on top of a salary.

The Economist

Flashy displays are his trademark; sightseers drive to his home each year to gawk at his Christmas lights.

The Economist

Journalists wrestled for a gawk at him as his train pulled into Birmingham New Street station.

The Economist

They fly over islands, meander through castles and gawk at dragons.

The Economist

It is not visible from the area outside the outer shrine, where Japanese come to pay their respects and tourists gawk.

The Economist

Your correspondent paid $1 to gawk at the "Little Lady from Haiti, the world's smallest woman".The cheap-thrill sideshows have an audience (though the queue for "Shoot the Freak Live Human Target" was thankfully non-existent) but it is things like the Wonder Wheel, a landmarked Ferris wheel, and the Cyclone, an 82-year-old rickety, wooden rollercoaster, that draw enormous crowds.

The Economist

The result was a riot of Chinese opera, Japanese anime, French maids, Conan the Barbarian and Star Wars.Some 700,000 people crammed into the convention centre to gawk at comic books, see the latest games and watch their fantasies strut by.

The Economist

The A$328m US$245mm) development is being publicly-funded.Sydney can only gawk.

The Economist

They get to gawk at Michael Jackson on a daily basis.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "gawk" to describe staring openly and often rudely or foolishly. It's suitable when you want to emphasize the act of staring rather than the object being looked at.

Common error

While "gawk" is a valid word, it carries a connotation of being unsophisticated or rude. In professional or formal settings, opt for more neutral terms like "observe" or "watch" unless you want to intentionally portray someone as behaving inappropriately.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "gawk" is as an intransitive verb, describing the act of staring openly and often rudely or foolishly. Ludwig AI confirms its validity as a verb. Examples show it used to describe people watching events or other people with undisguised interest.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "gawk" functions as a verb that describes staring openly, often with connotations of rudeness or foolishness. Ludwig's analysis, consistent with its frequent appearance in news and media, categorizes it as grammatically correct with a neutral register. While widely used, be mindful of the context, as it may not always be appropriate in formal settings. Alternative phrases like "stare" or "observe" can be used to avoid the negative connotations associated with "gawk".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stare

A general term for looking intently, lacking the connotation of rudeness or foolishness.

gape

Suggests staring with an open mouth, often due to surprise or wonder.

goggle

Implies staring with wide eyes, often in surprise or disbelief.

ogle

Means to stare at someone, often with lustful intent.

peer

Implies looking closely or with difficulty, often to see something unclear.

scrutinize

To examine carefully and critically.

contemplate

To look thoughtfully for a long time.

observe

To watch attentively.

regard

To look at someone or something in a specific way.

behold

To look upon; see.

FAQs

How to use "gawk" in a sentence?

You can use "gawk" to describe someone staring openly and often rudely or foolishly. For example, "Tourists often "gawk" at celebrities in Hollywood".

What can I say instead of "gawk"?

Alternatives to "gawk" include "stare", "gape", or "ogle", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "gawk" or "gawp"?

"Gawk" and "gawp" are both correct and mean to stare openly or stupidly. "Gawk" is more common in American English, while "gawp" is more frequently used in British English.

What's the difference between "gawk" and "stare"?

"Stare" is a general term for looking intently. "Gawk" implies staring in a rude or foolish manner, often with an open mouth or obvious interest. Staring doesn't necessarily carry the negative connotation that "gawk" does.