sterz
/stɛɹz/
stares is pronounced sterz (/stɛɹz/). Stares is the third-person singular present tense of stare: to look fixedly at something or someone, often with a long, intent gaze. It can also function as a noun in phrases like “a set of stares,” though in common usage it remains a verb form. The term implies attention, scrutiny, or surprise conveyed through the eyes, sometimes with implied emotion. In context, it’s typically used without a following preposition when describing ongoing gaze.
Stares is the third-person singular present tense of stare: to look fixedly at something or someone, often with a long, intent gaze. It can also function as a noun in phrases like “a set of stares,” though in common usage it remains a verb form. The term implies attention, scrutiny, or surprise conveyed through the eyes, sometimes with implied emotion. In context, it’s typically used without a following preposition when describing ongoing gaze.
"She stares at the painting for several minutes, trying to decipher its meaning."
"They stares?_Ah—no—he stares at the screen, not the door."
"The crowd stares in disbelief as the magician performs."
Pronounce as /steərz/ in US and UK practice, with the vowel like “air” in non-rhotic British speech, and a voiced z ending. Start with /s/ then /t/ followed by a mid-front tense vowel /eə/ or /eː/ depending on accent, and finish with /z/. The mouth should stay fairly relaxed; keep the tongue high-mid for the /t/ and open slightly for /eə/. Average pace keeps the vowel steady, and ensure the final /z/ is voiced, not a /s/ hiss. Listen to a model on Pronounce or Forvo to capture subtle variations.
Two common errors: 1) Substituting a /s/ or /z/ voice before the vowel, making it sound like /sts/ or /z/ at the start; 2) Flattening the /eə/ into a simple /e/ or /ɛ/ so it sounds like /sterz/. Fix by holding a steady /eə/ vowel for the diphthong and ensure the /t/ is released clearly before the /z/. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘stares’ vs ‘stars’ to notice the difference in vowel quality and consonant release.
In US English, /steərz/ with rhotic flavor; the r can influence the preceding vowel. UK speakers often have a lengthened /eə/ and may sound closer to /stɛəz/ in some dialects, with less r-coloring. Australian English tends toward a near-locked /eə/ or somewhat centralized vowel, giving /stɛəz/ or /steəz/ depending on speaker. The final /z/ remains voiced in all. Listening closely to rhotic vs non-rhotic patterns helps: rhotic accents keep /r/ influence indirectly through vowel quality, non-rhotic may have a longer /ə/ onset before z.
Because the word blends a tense, mid diphthong with a crisp /t/ closure and a voiced /z/ ending, creating a subtle vowel quality that can drift toward /e/ or /ɛ/ in quick speech. The diphthong /eə/ requires precise mouth opening and tongue positioning; many speakers compress it, blurring the distinction from nearby words like ‘stairs’ or ‘stars.’ Mastery requires careful attention to the transition from /t/ to /eə/ and maintaining voicing through /z/.
There are no silent letters in stares. The word carries primary stress on the single syllable of the verb form, which in words with two pronunciations can be relatively even in duration. The /t/ and /z/ are both fully pronounced, with the /t/ serving as a light release into the /eə/ vowel, and the final /z/ voiced. For learners, focus on clean consonant release and sustaining the /eə/ before the /z/.
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Stares comes from stare, which derives from Old French estare (to stare, to gaze) and Latin observare (to watch closely). The modern English form emerged in Middle English as stare with third-person singular -s and later extended to the plural verb form stares. Early senses focused on long, fixed gazes, often with scrutiny or astonishment. Over time, usage broadened to include both literal glances and figurative attention or inspection. The noun sense of stare as a fixed look existed alongside verb usage, but currently the verb dominates in everyday speech. The word’s semantic trajectory emphasizes duration and intensity of looking, rather than quick glances, aligning with phrases like “stare in awe” or “stare at something unrecognizable.” First known written attestations appear in medieval English texts, with standardized spelling stabilizing around Early Modern English as print standardized orthography emerged. In contemporary usage, stares frequently collocate with nouns describing objects of gaze (faces, screens, paintings) and with adjectives conveying emotion (empty, accusing, curious). The word’s evolution mirrors cultural emphasis on visual attention and social signaling conveyed through prolonged gaze, sometimes marked by social discomfort, astonishment, or confrontation.
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Words that rhyme with "stares"
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