wide-eyed

adjective

ˈwīd-ˈīd How to pronounce wide-eyed (audio)
Synonyms of wide-eyednext
1
: having or marked by unsophisticated or uncritical acceptance or admiration : naive
wide-eyed innocence
2
: having the eyes wide open especially with wonder or astonishment

Synonyms of wide-eyed

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Examples of wide-eyed in a Sentence

a wide-eyed and trusting child the sort of phony UFO "artifacts" that wide-eyed tourists fall for
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tommy is already a natural punk with his grimaces, British vocal inflections and wide-eyed expressions behind the drum kit. — Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026 Of course, much of this was lost on me as a wide-eyed freshman adjusting to my new surroundings. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026 Bennie Liebenberg, a former geologist at the mine who was serving as our guide, has the plodding, slightly wide-eyed manner of someone who has spent a lot of time underground. — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026 Camp Rock 3 echoes that first film by introducing wide-eyed campers on paths to self-discovery and self-awareness through music. — Allison McClain Merrill, Parents, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wide-eyed was in 1789

Rhymes for wide-eyed

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Browse Nearby Words

wide boy
wide-eyed
wide-flung
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Cite this Entry

“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wide-eyed. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

wide-eyed

adjective
ˈwīd-ˈīd
1
: having the eyes wide open especially with wonder or astonishment
2
: naive sense 2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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