open-mouthed
Americanadjective
-
having the mouth open.
-
gaping, as with surprise or astonishment.
- Synonyms:
- thunderstruck, confounded
-
greedy, ravenous, or rapacious.
-
clamoring at the sight of game or prey, as hounds.
-
vociferous or clamorous.
-
having a wide mouth, as a pitcher or jar.
adjective
-
having an open mouth, esp in surprise
-
greedy or ravenous
-
clamorous or vociferous
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of open-mouthed
First recorded in 1525–35
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It's clutching at straws to try to look for France weaknesses because at times you watch open-mouthed in amazement when the front four is in full flow.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Longtime Hartford residents are staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the sudden housing boom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
“And I remember, what was it—Bill Belichick’s girlfriend wasn’t even born yet?” he joked, leaving Hudson open-mouthed in surprise, while her partner simply chuckled along with the rest of the audience.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 3, 2025
When Anges’ initial screams twist into silent, open-mouthed sobs, “Hamnet” briefly becomes a conduit for grief’s potency.
From Salon ● Nov. 30, 2025
When he carries me into the kitchen and sets me down on a bench beside the worktable, Izzi, scrubbing the floor, drops her brush and stares open-mouthed.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
