outgaze

A determined explorer outgazes the distant horizon from a high cliff.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To stare at someone until they become disconcerted or flustered: "outgaze" means to look at someone so intently and persistently that they become uncomfortable or lose composure.
   • To see or look farther than: "outgaze" can also mean to have a gaze that extends beyond something or someone else, often implying superior vision or endurance in staring.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • He tried to outgaze his opponent in the staring contest, but eventually blinked first. (He attempted to stare at his opponent until the opponent became disconcerted.)
  • The eagle can outgaze any human, spotting prey from miles away. (The eagle can see farther than any human.)
  • She felt intimidated when he tried to outgaze her during the tense negotiation. (He stared at her to make her flustered.)

Advanced Usage

• "to outgaze someone": used in contexts of psychological intimidation or competition.
  • In many cultures, locking eyes and attempting to outgaze another is a sign of dominance. (Staring persistently to assert power.)
• "to outgaze the horizon": a poetic usage meaning to look beyond the visible limit.
  • The sailor stood on the mast, trying to outgaze the distant horizon. (To see farther than the horizon appears.)

Variants and Related Words

• Outgazing (noun): the act or practice of staring someone down.
  • The outgazing between the two rivals lasted for several minutes. (The prolonged staring competition.)
• Outgazed (adj): having been stared down or looked at longer.
  • She felt outgazed and looked away first. (She lost the staring contest.)

Synonyms

• Stare down: to look at someone with such intensity that they look away first.
• Outstare: a direct synonym meaning to stare longer or more intensely than another.
• Outlook: to see or look beyond (less common).

Phrasal Verbs

• Gaze out: to look steadily outward.
  • He gazed out the window, lost in thought. (To look outward without specific focus.)

Related Idioms

• To lock eyes: to engage in mutual staring, often leading to an attempt to outgaze.
  • They locked eyes across the room, each trying to outgaze the other. (They stared at each other intensely.)
• To win the staring contest: to successfully outgaze someone.
  • She won the staring contest by outgazing her brother for two minutes. (She stared longer than he did.)