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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 While a young, sloppy Georgia Tech bunch grew wide-eyed and froze in the moment, CU pounced. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 Sep. 2026 Like most wide-eyed tennis players with dreams of going pro, Navarro grew up idolizing Williams, 44. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 Tommy is already a natural punk with his grimaces, British vocal inflections and wide-eyed expressions behind the drum kit. — Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026 Of course, much of this was lost on me as a wide-eyed freshman adjusting to my new surroundings. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 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
  • When the most senior people in the room ask the naive question first, everyone else gets permission to keep growing in public.
    — Brittany Murrey, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Turns out the two had a rather close bond, as Elia was very politically savvy compared to the naïve Rhaegar.
    — Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • The 49ers don’t have a deep defensive tackle room and are susceptible against the run, but if the 49ers’ offense can force opponents into passing scripts, Morris’ defense has a chance to surprise.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Those navigating the market without the requisite knowledge or information are susceptible to potential outlier losses.
    — David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • The 29-year-old was never convicted, but nor was he proven innocent.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • As Walter confronts Reed, an unexpected and deeper connection develops between the two men, and Walter begins to believe Reed may be innocent.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • The company says its approach is intended to make adoption easier because manufacturers would not necessarily need to redesign their existing production infrastructure to use the material.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
  • One of the easiest mistakes leaders make is assuming that someone who argues back is overly confident.
    — Michel Koopman, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of easy
Adjective
  • Key officers fell mortally wounded, and the inexperienced Americans might easily have broken again.
    — Harry Ostrer, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • As is often the case with inexperienced players, their performance has been a mixed bag.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • During the recent session, Soto taught people how to make coils for teardrop designs along with other simple shapes.
    — Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The simplest distinction is powered flight versus unpowered glide.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of simple

Browse Nearby Words

wide-awake
wide-eyed
widely
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide-eyed. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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