gawk

11 synonyms for gawk, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To stare at something openly and stupidly, often out of surprise or rudeness.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

lump

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

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Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To stare at something openly and stupidly, often out of surprise or rudeness.

“Tourists gawked at the celebrity walking down the street.”

lump goon oaf lout clod gape gawp lubber lummox goggle stumblebum

2. noun

A clumsy or foolish person.

“He felt like a gawk stumbling through the formal dinner.”

oaf lummox lump lubber clod stumblebum goon lout

How to use gawk

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

gawk at someone stop gawking gawking tourists

Slightly informal; carries a hint of criticism — gawking is generally seen as impolite.

Etymology

Related to an older word gowk, from Old Norse gaukr ("cuckoo") — the bird's name became a byword for a fool, and later for someone staring blankly.

Full origin of gawk →

Frequently asked questions

What does “gawk” mean?

The word “gawk” means to stare at something openly and stupidly, often out of surprise or rudeness. In plain terms, to stare rudely or openly at something, usually in surprise.

How do you pronounce “gawk”?

“Gawk” is pronounced gawk (/ɡɔːk/ in IPA).

How do you use “gawk” in a sentence?

Here is “gawk” used in a sentence: “Tourists gawked at the celebrity walking down the street.”

What part of speech is “gawk”?

Depending on how it is used, “gawk” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “gawk” come from?

The word “gawk” comes from Old Norse. Related to an older word gowk, from Old Norse gaukr ("cuckoo") — the bird's name became a byword for a fool, and later for someone staring blankly.

How many meanings does “gawk” have?

“Gawk” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to stare at something openly and stupidly, often out of surprise or rudeness.

People also searched

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Nearby words

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