by eye

phrase

: by looking at something to get a rough idea of its size
I measured the distance by eye.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“By eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20eye. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster