gawked

Gawked is the past tense of gawk, meaning to stare openly and stupidly at something, usually with one's mouth hanging open.

The word suggests a lack of sophistication or self-awareness in the observer.

Tourists gawked at the celebrities outside the restaurant.

Unlike glanced or observed, gawking implies rudeness or social awkwardness—you gawk at accidents, oddities, or spectacles rather than at things deserving respectful attention.