1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
a wide-eyed and trusting child
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wide-eyed
All that vitriol over some poor, wide-eyed urchin just trying to climb an invisible ladder or descend some invisible stairs?
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
As the car carrying him departed the police station, a photographer captured another indelible image, of the former Prince slumped in the back seat, wide-eyed and slack-jawed—the boy for whom the chimes once pealed looking very much like a man for whom the bell now tolls.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
As if the wide-eyed innocent who arrived here has been hardened.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
The physical description evokes a compact, spiny, wide-eyed animal — the kind of species that would stand out immediately in a field encounter.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
As the car carrying him departed the police station, a photographer captured another indelible image, of the former Prince slumped in the back seat, wide-eyed and slack-jawed—the boy for whom the chimes once pealed looking very much like a man for whom the bell now tolls.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
As if the wide-eyed innocent who arrived here has been hardened.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
The physical description evokes a compact, spiny, wide-eyed animal — the kind of species that would stand out immediately in a field encounter.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide-eyed
Adjective
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The film follows hopeful, naive college freshman Devon, who asks the cool and confident Celeste to be her roommate.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, Mary, the most naive of the trio, remains blissfully unaware that anything is amiss.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The decision to die is drastic and irreversible; should it really be left up to a young person whose brain is still developing, and who is susceptible to influence by peers and authority figures?—
Charles Lane,
The Atlantic,
15 Mar. 2026
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Cats are also very susceptible to acetaminophen (Tylenol) poisoning, which causes liver damage and impairs the ability of blood to carry oxygen (methemoglobinemia).—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When a strange man lurks around the school asking supposedly innocent questions and the principal receives a severed human finger in the mail, the community is in an uproar.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
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His huddles at times resemble a family Sunday supper after the conversation turns to politics – everyone yelling, nobody listening, Izzo’s face reddening and a whiteboard left broken, the innocent victim of all the arguing (though they are rumored to be pre-cut to avoid splintering).—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But nothing is ever easy for the B’s on the road.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
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Clocking in at about 500 square feet, the place was more than comfortably sized, with floor-to-ceiling windows for easy wake-ups with the sun.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Don José is an inexperienced Spanish soldier who falls in love with the seductive Gypsy, Carmen.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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Dangerous rip currents are expected at regional beaches, prompting officials to warn against swimming, especially for inexperienced swimmers.—
Joaquin Palomino,
San Francisco Chronicle,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The rooms Hotel Thaynes has 128 guest rooms, including six king suites, each designed for simple mountain stays with subtle pops of colors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
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Such a vote — which is bound to fail but would put senators on the record — differs from using a simple majority to change the Senate rules, a vote a senator could force after an unsuccessful vote to break a filibuster.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide-eyed. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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