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
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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.
So, too, do the antics of his estate manager (a buoyant Sam Adegoke), always concocting money-making schemes, and the wide-eyed adoration of the girl next door (Amelia Mason, deftly balancing naïveté with seductiveness), who wants to save him. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 But mostly, Clancy has remained silent and wide-eyed, her gaze wandering around the courtroom as though searching for something. — Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026 As Troy, his signature wide-eyed, guileless delivery of sarcasm is a first line of defense that softens as his understanding of the Russian people, including his companion, grows. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 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 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 7 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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