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Synonyms

bright-eyed

American  
[brahyt-ahyd] / ˈbraɪtˌaɪd /

adjective

  1. having bright eyes.

  2. alertly eager.


idioms

  1. bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, alertly eager; full of energy and enthusiasm.

    Get a good night's sleep so you'll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning.

bright-eyed British  

adjective

  1. eager; fresh and enthusiastic

  2. informal keen, confident, and alert

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bright-eyed

First recorded in 1585–95

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.

See Examples For:

"Half past one, I was still awake, all still bright-eyed, and kind of bushy-tailed, and then I went horizontal and dozed off," she recalled.

From BBC Jul. 6, 2026

With her bright-eyed inquisitiveness bordering on tactlessness, and Harry Potter T-shirt, Cheryl-Ann comes close to being a caricature of a crass tourist, and is treated as such with cool disdain by Orla.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 25, 2026

Dr. John Carter on “ER” was a newbie to the healthcare industry, bright-eyed and eager to learn.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 15, 2025

I do think a lot of times female protagonists have been very young and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and very plucky.

From Salon Aug. 12, 2024

“Hello,” he said to the bright-eyed bird, now showing the tips of his wing feathers.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

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