ogle
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈɒɡəl/
US
- /ˈoʊɡəl/
Description
- Stare with desire
- look someone up and down
- eye with strong interest
- stare rudely
To ogle someone is not just looking at them. It means looking for a bit too long in a way that shows strong interest, usually sexual interest. It often feels rude, bold, or uncomfortable for the person being looked at. You can also use it for things people strongly want or admire, like an expensive car or a huge slice of cake, but it is most often used for people. The word usually suggests that the look is obvious, not quiet or respectful.
To ogle means to stare at someone or something with strong interest, usually with desire or sexual attraction. It is more than a quick glance. It is a lingering, obvious look, and it often feels unwelcome or rude. The word usually has a negative tone because it suggests that the person doing the looking is being too open or not showing enough respect.
Most often, people use this word for looking at another person in a way that is clearly about attraction. For example, someone might ogle a stranger across the room or a celebrity in a magazine. It can also be used more loosely for things people badly want or admire, like a shiny new car, a display of jewelry, or a rich dessert. In those cases, the meaning is closer to "look at with strong desire."
Context matters, but the word is still mostly negative. If someone says they were being ogled, it usually means they felt watched in an uncomfortable or disrespectful way. When it is used for objects, the tone is often lighter or playful. Overall, the idea is not simply "to look." It is to keep staring with desire or hungry interest in a way that stands out.
Examples
- 1
Unwanted attention
The man at the bar kept ogling the waitress, and she looked uncomfortable.
Caution
About a person, ogle usually sounds rude or unwanted.
- 2
Direct complaint
Stop ogling me and just say hello.
- 3
Shop window
We stood outside the bakery, ogling the cakes in the window.
- 4
Luxury goods
He spent the afternoon ogling sports cars he could never afford.
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- oglenounverb
Forms
- ogling-ing formverbnoun
- ogledpast tenseverbnoun
- oglespluralnounverb