eagle eye

American  

noun

1. unusually sharp visual powers; keen ability to watch or observe.

2. a person who has sharp vision or who maintains a keen watchfulness.

3. alert watchfulness.

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eagle eye Idioms  

1. Unusually keen sight; also, keen intellectual vision. For example, Antiques dealers have an eagle eye for valuable objects, or A good manager has an eagle eye for employee errors. [Late 1500s]

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Etymology

Origin of eagle eye

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

She has an eagle eye for clothing with “100% cotton” on the tag or sterling silver jewelry stamped with a tiny “925,” indicating the quality of material.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 19, 2025

Conan Doyle: creator of Sherlock Holmes and by extension all subsequent super sleuths with an eccentric character, eagle eye for detail, encyclopedic knowledge of unexpectedly useful trivia and the brain of a UNIVAC.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2025

In the meantime, consider putting a fraud alert on your credit reports in case someone tries to open credit in your name, and go over your bank statements and credit reports with an eagle eye.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 11, 2023

The meticulousness certainly paid off, as new mysteries come to light in the universe as a result of its eagle eye.

From Salon • Feb. 24, 2023

Behind the bar, a white man, bald and shiny, leans against the polished wood counter, eagle eye on the coarse fellow and the girl.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland