stare through

USAGE SUMMARY

"stare through" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means to look at something intensely or fixedly, as if trying to see through it. You can use it in a sentence when describing someone's focus or concentration on something, such as: "She sat at her desk, staring through her computer screen as she tried to figure out the problem." "The child stood by the window, staring through the raindrops as he waited for his father to come home."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

He continued to stare through the windshield.

The New Yorker

You give her a cold stare through narrowed eyes.

The New Yorker

His official stare through his trademark spectacles part sneer, part aloof school teacher can seem comical.

The Economist

She would sit and stare through people around her as though they were not there.

The New York Times

We have a tendency to stare through the window at those having a good time.

The Guardian

So I stare through the slats up the long, winding drive and acres of garden.

The Guardian - Music

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

He stares through me with his super-close subway face.

The New Yorker

The cop stares through me for a moment.

The New York Times - Magazine

He said nothing to me as he stared through binoculars.

The New York Times

As piercing red eyes stared through rose-colored glasses.

The New Yorker

The neighbors wondered as they stared through their peepholes.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In figurative writing, use it to describe a person's emotional detachment, as if they are looking past the immediate surroundings into an internal world.

Common error

Avoid using "stare through" when you mean "inspect". For example, use "<a href="/s/look+through+the+files" target="_blank" rel="alternative">look through the files" rather than "stare through the files", as the latter implies you are looking at the paper itself without reading it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "stare through" functions as a prepositional verb where the verb "stare" (to look fixedly) is modified by the preposition "through" (indicating movement or sight across a medium). As noted by Ludwig, it is a standard and correct construction used to indicate intense visual focus that originates on one side of a boundary and targets something on the other side.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academic

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "stare through" is a versatile and grammatically correct expression widely used in the English language. According to Ludwig AI and the analyzed data, it is most frequently found in News & Media contexts to describe intense observation or psychological detachment. Whether used literally (looking through a window) or figuratively (looking through a person), it maintains high semantic clarity. High-authority sources such as The New York Times and The New Yorker utilize it to create vivid imagery. For writers, it serves as a powerful tool to indicate penetrating focus or a vacant state of mind, provided the distinction between a physical medium and an object of inspection is maintained.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gaze through

Suggests a more contemplative, steady or peaceful way of looking.

peer through

Implies looking with difficulty or searching for detail through a narrow opening.

look through

A more neutral and general way to describe the action.

peek through

Suggests a quick, secret or cautious look through a small gap.

glare through

Adds a connotation of anger or hostility to the fixed look.

scan through

Focuses on the movement of the eyes to find specific information.

see through

Focuses on the transparency of the medium or the perception of truth.

squint through

Indicates physical effort to see better by narrowing the eyes.

ogle through

Implies looking with inappropriate or excessive interest.

scour through

Suggests a thorough and intensive search through a space or document.

FAQs

How do I use "stare through" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe someone looking intently through an object, such as "He continued to "stare through" the windshield" or to show detachment, as in "She would sit and "stare through" people around her".

What is the difference between "stare through" and "gaze through"?

While "stare through" implies a fixed and sometimes intrusive or vacant look, "<a href="/s/gaze+through" target="_blank" rel="alternative">gaze through" usually suggests a more peaceful, steady or admiring look.

Can "stare through" be used figuratively?

Yes, it is often used to describe someone who is ignoring their immediate surroundings or looking at someone as if they were invisible. A similar idiom is to "<a href="/s/look+right+through+someone" target="_blank" rel="alternative">look right through someone".

Is "stare through" formal or informal?

It is a neutral phrase suitable for all registers. It appears frequently in journalism, such as in The New York Times, as well as in creative literature and scientific reports like those in BMC Pediatrics.