as in shock
informal
something that shows or teaches you something in a surprising way
Traveling abroad can be a real eye-opener to many people. They say her biography is quite an eye-opener.
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Recent Examples of eye-opener
The closeness in my race and the closeness in the president's race last year were real eye-openers.
—
ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
Beringer noted the speed and physicality of Minnesota’s preseason games have been eye-openers.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 14 Oct. 2025
Seeing Colin Blakely in Juno and the Paycock was a big eye-opener.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
That 200k number is going to be an eye-opener for a lot of people who assumed that the duo’s popularity had declined with its radio dominance.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for eye-opener
ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
Beringer noted the speed and physicality of Minnesota’s preseason games have been eye-openers.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 14 Oct. 2025
Seeing Colin Blakely in Juno and the Paycock was a big eye-opener.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
That 200k number is going to be an eye-opener for a lot of people who assumed that the duo’s popularity had declined with its radio dominance.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for eye-opener
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eye-opener
Noun
-
Now came the surprise of my effortful steps, the shock of how unyielding the dress’s shell was, as if I were being held in place by a firm hand.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
-
So the lack of parachutes in the KC-135, under this light, should not come as much of a shock.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Stock the fridge, because surprise company might drop by.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
-
But many Oscar pundits abandoned ship, after Jordan pulled out a surprise win from the Actor Awards on March 1.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
All defendants maintained their innocence and appealed after a two-year trial that opened a Pandora's box of unwanted revelations about papal ransom payments to Islamic militants, Vatican vendettas, espionage and other dirty laundry of the Holy See.—
NICOLE WINFIELD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
-
None of the revelations feels especially explosive.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Then came an even bigger shocker.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Evgeni Malkin had two goals and an assist, a vintage performance with Sidney Crosby out of the lineup, and the Pittsburgh Penguins rolled past the Avs in a 7-2 shocker.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Penning didn’t add much of a jolt to the Chargers’ attempts to secure more protection for Herbert in the second half of the season, often struggling to keep opposing pass rushers in front of him.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The Atlantic Coast Conference entered the season hoping to create a jolt for men’s basketball, a flagship sport facing a dwindling count of March Madness bids in recent years.—
Mercury News,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Eye-opener.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eye-opener. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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