gaze at/ gaze into/ gaze on (2025)

I find these 3 phrases are quite close in meaning but there is still differece.

Could you give me some idea about the difference.

This is a general question but I can provide a context. Below is a sentence from appointment with death

She sat on a rock, pushed her hands through her thick black hair, and

the world at her feet.

So, look here, if I use ''at or into'' in this sentence, what do you think of it?

Hello.

If you say gaze down on, it implies that this person is above something and looking down, so it is properly used in this sentence.

Gaze at: I would say you could use in this sentence as well, but it is not specific as to which direction she was looking and the word "at" would be used a little too much. She could gaze at her feet or gaze at the sky, but I would not say "...and gazed at the world at her feet."

Gaze into: You can really only gaze into someone's eyes I think and this term isn't really that commonly used. "...and he gazed into her beautiful eyes."

Gaze on: I don't think you can really just say gaze on, I personally can't think of a sentence in which I have heard "gaze on" used without the word "down" as you used it above.

I hope this helps.

Boxer13 said:

Hello.

If you say gaze down on, it implies that this person is above something and looking down, so it is properly used in this sentence.

Gaze at: I would say you could use in this sentence as well, but it is not specific as to which direction she was looking and the word "at" would be used a little too much. She could gaze at her feet or gaze at the sky, but I would not say "...and gazed at the world at her feet."

Gaze into: You can really only gaze into someone's eyes I think and this term isn't really that commonly used. "...and he gazed into her beautiful eyes."

Gaze on: I don't think you can really just say gaze on, I personally can't think of a sentence in which I have heard "gaze on" used without the word "down" as you used it above.

I hope this helps.

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Oh, this is a comprehensive answer. Thanks!

I guess regarding '' gaze down on ....", ''gaze down'' are actually used together, as a phrase verb. This phrase verb indicates an action.

To link the action with its object, we can use the prep '' on''.

Thanks