starry-eyed

adjective

star·​ry-eyed ˈstär-ē-ˌīd How to pronounce starry-eyed (audio)
Synonyms of starry-eyednext
: regarding an object or a prospect in an overly favorable light
specifically : characterized by dreamy, impracticable, or utopian thinking : visionary

Examples of starry-eyed in a Sentence

the starry-eyed notion that international sports competitions actually help foster global harmony
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.
It had supposedly been made in the nineteen-forties, for an Italian countess or an English lady, then scrapped, and afterward either smuggled out of the workroom by a starry-eyed seamstress or, with the atelier head’s approval, given to one of the in-house models. Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026 But Sexistential, released in March, pushes in the opposite direction, toward starry-eyed excess and abandon. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026 On Tuesday night, as the NFL world reeled with the Maxx Crosby news and the NBA was starry-eyed at Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game, the rest of us were watching Team Italy embarrass the good ol’ US of A with an 8-6 win in the World Baseball Classic. Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026 The film’s plot is thrust in motion when a series of perverse scam calls unsettles an idyllic retirement community, watching as a starry-eyed nurse (Cemre Paksoy) becomes entangled with her mysterious patient (Bruce McKenzie). Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026 Jasmine January gives a sweet, starry-eyed performance as Rosemary, the ever-patient secretary who loves Finch despite his indifference to her feelings. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026 Carrie Underwood will once again be seated at the judges’ table, having joined the cast in 2025 when Katy Perry signed off after seven seasons, as starry-eyed hopefuls compete for a $250,000 prize and a chance at a recording contract. Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026 Neither will starry-eyed dreams of Venezuelan oil profits. Jamie Holmes, Twin Cities, 22 Jan. 2026 This time around, Lily Collins' starry-eyed striver is setting up shop in Rome. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of starry-eyed was in 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Starry-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starry-eyed. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.

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