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

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.
As a child growing up in Santa Fe, the Farolito Walk was one of my favorite parts of the holidays; a chance to gaze wide-eyed at the lights, share a special moment with my family, and, in my very young years, scan the sky for Santa. Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2025 That 13-year gap between the world-building first and ocean-plumbing second films allowed film wizardry to progress, so audiences came freshly wide-eyed to James Cameron's gargantuan adventure in 2022. Bob Mondello, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025 So too does Ostan who navigates Lucija’s emerging libido with a wide-eyed innocence on the tipping point of something revelatory and even ethereal. David Opie, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025 Adlon, now in her late 50s, naturally brings more lived-in warmth to Bobby, now aged up into his early 20s and navigating adulthood with the same wide-eyed earnestness that once fueled his childhood shenanigans. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wide-eyed. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

wide-eyed

adjective
ˈwīd-ˈīd
1
: having the eyes wide open especially with wonder or astonishment
2

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