ogle

IPA/ˈəʊɡl/
KK[ˈoɡəl]IPA/ˈəʊɡl/

ogle — verb

  • oglepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • ogleshe / she / it
  • ogledpast simple
  • ogling-ing form

1. to keep looking at a person in a way that makes your sexual attraction to them u

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveC1
Definition

to keep looking at a person in a way that makes your sexual attraction to them uncomfortably obvious

Example

A group of men stood at the bar, ogling every woman who walked past them.

transitive: ogling + direct object (every woman)

Kwame felt uncomfortable when he caught his neighbour ogling his wife at the barbecue.

passive construction: caught + someone + ogling

Common collocations
  • ogle + at
  • caught + ogling
  • openly ogle
  • shamelessly ogle
Synonyms
  • leer at

    focuses more on the unpleasant sideways expression of the face rather than the act of staring

  • eye up

    British informal; similar meaning but can be less aggressive in tone

  • check out

    informal; broader meaning that can be neutral or sexual, less offensive than 'ogle'

Antonyms
  • look away

    the deliberate opposite of staring at someone

  • ignore

    to pay no attention at all, the opposite of showing any interest

Grammar Patterns

ogle + someone

ogle at + someone

Usage Note

Usually carries a negative or disapproving tone. The continuous form (was ogling / were ogling) is very common because the action involves sustained looking.

Common Mistakes

He was ogling to the woman at the party.
He was ogling the woman at the party.
'ogle' is transitive and does not take 'to' before the object.

ogle — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four describe looking at someone with sexual or romantic interest, but they differ in intensity and offensiveness. 'Ogle' is the strongest — it implies staring in a way that makes the other person feel uncomfortable or objectified. 'Leer at' has a similar intensity but focuses on the unpleasant, sideways expression of the face, often suggesting bad intentions. 'Eye up' (informal British) means to look at someone to assess their attractiveness; it is less aggressive than ogling and can even be playful between friends. 'Check out' (informal, especially American) is the mildest and most neutral — it can mean simply noticing that someone is attractive. For example: 'Vinícius was openly ogling the new intern, which made everyone uncomfortable.' vs 'Eliska checked him out when he walked past, then went back to her coffee.'

ogle ↗leer ateye up ↗check out ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • catch someone ogling
  • give someone an ogle

Prepositions

Etymology

Low GermanEnglish

Likely from Low German 'oogelen' (to look at or to eye), which comes from 'oog' (eye). A related Dutch word 'ogen' also means 'to look'. The word entered English in the late 1600s and has carried a sense of amorous or improper looking from the start.

First known use

1682

1682, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense Noun