bright-eyed
Americanadjective
-
having bright eyes.
-
alertly eager.
idioms
adjective
-
eager; fresh and enthusiastic
-
informal keen, confident, and alert
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.
"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
![]()
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.