1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
a wide-eyed and trusting child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Children usually accompany the players onto the pitch, wide-eyed youngsters in pristine kits, looking nervous and staring up in awe at Harry Kane or Bukayo Saka or Declan Rice.
—
Nick Miller, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Eighteen years old and 13 pounds too light to join the Marines, the wiry, wide-eyed teen watched his recruiter zip through the aisles, grabbing a roll of tape, a sledgehammer, and a length of lead pipe.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
As violence ensues, this seemingly wide-eyed young innocent quickly proves her worth.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
Stacey responds with the wide-eyed innocence of someone auditioning for The Truman Show.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Nick Miller, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Eighteen years old and 13 pounds too light to join the Marines, the wiry, wide-eyed teen watched his recruiter zip through the aisles, grabbing a roll of tape, a sledgehammer, and a length of lead pipe.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
As violence ensues, this seemingly wide-eyed young innocent quickly proves her worth.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
Stacey responds with the wide-eyed innocence of someone auditioning for The Truman Show.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide-eyed
Adjective
-
But anyone imagining that this problem will be resolved by taking games beyond international borders is extremely naive.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
In contrast, the late-’90s and early-2000s pop culture era—glittery, naive, and commercially loud—feels like an antidote to endless doom-scrolling.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Unsurprisingly, people who live farther north are more susceptible than their southern counterparts because of the shorter daylight hours—so folks in Alaska and New Hampshire would statistically be at higher risk than their counterparts in Texas or Florida, say.—
Maggie O'Neill,
SELF,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Some light fabrics are especially susceptible to staining from the minerals in water.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
De Silva, police noted, was an innocent bystander who was not involved in the quarrel and was not believed to have been the target.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
-
So that seemingly innocent Machu Picchu stamp—one of the most popular souvenir stamps around—could be viewed not as a harmless keepsake but as an unauthorized alteration that might jeopardize your ability to travel.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
When laundry day rolls around, simply throw the durable topper in the laundry with the rest of your bedding for easy maintenance and tumble dry with no heat.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
It will soon be connected to Oaxaca City next year for easy access.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But let’s face it, the Red Wings have looked a bit inexperienced at times so far, too.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The helmers cycle through a year’s worth of seasons for Zhenya and Anatolij Pilipenko, inexperienced farmers who envisioned a new life for themselves and their two young daughters.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While House Republicans can pass legislation with a simple majority vote, Senate Republicans cannot advance most matters without meeting a 60-vote threshold.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
-
But in stoppage time, Miami was gifted a third goal when Jordi Alba crossed from the left and keeper Willis, colliding with defender Walker Zimmerman, spilled the ball right to Messi, who had the simplest of tap-ins.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Many gullible liberal elites pretend that the radical jihadists of Hamas do not represent the broader Palestinian-Arab population, but that is a lie.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Edelman brings goofy charm to Adam, a gullible and guileless father of four, while Key is consistently funny as the simpering Ken.—
Kristen Baldwin,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide-eyed. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share