wide-eyed

adjective

ˈwīd-ˈīd How to pronounce wide-eyed (audio)
Definition of wide-eyednext
1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment a wide-eyed and trusting child

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in susceptible
readily taken advantage of the sort of phony UFO "artifacts" that wide-eyed tourists fall for

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of wide-eyed Thomasin McKenzie plays a young woman, Alyce, steeped in her own trauma and loss, who attaches herself to the ploughman, and her ability to express wide-eyed, barely contained hysteria and fear is unmatched. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 That mix of wide-eyed naïveté and pragmatic nous does seem typically American. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 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 While a young, sloppy Georgia Tech bunch grew wide-eyed and froze in the moment, CU pounced. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide-eyed
  1. naive
  2. susceptible
  3. innocent
  4. easy
  5. inexperienced
  6. simple
Adjective
  • Sutskever is portrayed as the idealistic, naive hero — the ingenious mind behind the lab’s entire existence who can’t stomach lying and is reluctant to accumulate any power.
    — Hayden Field, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Rebecca and Verity, which stars Johnson, are also about a new, naïve lover entering the home of a bad man with a wife hidden in his house of horrors.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • Tom describes himself as uniquely susceptible to this kind of stimulation, something that Kenny, the Mount Sinai neuroscientist, says may have some credence.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The United States also has a uniquely large and diverse economy that is far less susceptible to shocks than many of its smaller peers.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • An innocent person could potentially have faced unnecessary scrutiny.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone charged is presumed innocent while their cases move through the courts.
    — Raven Lightsey, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • Airscope lets scientists record brain activity at the cellular level even when multiple animals move and interact naturally, making real-world neuroscience experiments much easier.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Their contracts can run hundreds of pages, making harmful terms easy to bury.
    — Emma Witman, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of easy
Adjective
  • These experienced and skilled athletes, who are often 22 or 23 years old, are appealing to coaches, especially when compared with inexperienced and physically less developed freshmen.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Hafley also cautioned against placing the sole blame on Willis, who started just the 11th game of his career and is leading a young offense with mostly inexperienced receivers who are still developing chemistry.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • The best power pop is simple, direct, and memorable, in both words and sound.
    — Jeff Yerger, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The lack of close coordination between these simple details undermines the structure’s coherence and intent.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of simple

Browse Nearby Words

wide-awake
wide-eyed
widely
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Cite this Entry

“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide-eyed. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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