Cool MateLook across the street vs Stare
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Look across the street
Top 3,000 (common)
Stare
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Most common: Stare
| Look across the street | Stare | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //lʊk əˈkrɔːs ðə striːt//🇺🇸 //lʊk əˈkrɔs ðə strit// | 🇬🇧 /["/steə(r)/","/steəz/","/steəd/","/ˈsteərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ster/","/sterz/","/sterd/","/ˈsterɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To see something on the other side of the street. | To look at something without blinking or moving, usually for a long time. |
| Example | He looked across the street and saw a dog waiting for its owner. | She couldn't help but stare at the beautiful painting on the wall. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | look across the street, look across the road, look across at someone | fixedly, hard, intently, seem to, continue to, turn to, at, across, around, sit staring, stand staring, sit and stare |
| Antonyms | - | avert, glance, look away |
| Common mistakes | Confused about using 'look across' without an object., Omitting 'the' in 'look across street'. | Confused with 'gaze' – 'gaze' is often softer and more romantic., Using 'stare' when 'look' is more appropriate for casual contexts., Mixing up with 'glare', which implies anger or disapproval. |
| Usage notes | Use 'look across the street' when directing someone to observe something on the opposite side. It's commonly used in casual and formal contexts. | Use 'stare' when someone is looking at something or someone with intensity or surprise. It's neutral but can be perceived as rude if done for too long. |
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Frequently asked questions: Look across the street vs Stare
What's the difference between Look across the street and Stare?
Look across the street: To see something on the other side of the street. Stare: To look at something without blinking or moving, usually for a long time.
Which is more common: Look across the street and Stare?
Stare is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Look across the street: He looked across the street and saw a dog waiting for its owner. Stare: She couldn't help but stare at the beautiful painting on the wall.
Can I use Look across the street and Stare interchangeably?
Not always. Look across the street and Stare are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.