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Synonyms

eye-opener

British  

noun

  1. something startling or revealing

  2. an alcoholic drink taken early in the morning

"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

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.

Christian Weaver, a barrister who represented Awaab Ishak's family during the inquest, describes the case as an "eye-opener" - in particular, hearing how persistently the family had tried to get help.

From BBC • Oct. 26, 2025

Kirby said her illness was a "real eye-opener" and gave her a new appreciation for life's simple moments as she got better.

From BBC • Oct. 12, 2025

Sending in the Marines certainly was an eye-opener.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2025

Michelle Avary, also of Menlo Park, works for a Swedish-owned trucking company and said it has been an eye-opener to see how Swedish people work.

From New York Times • Mar. 30, 2024

Still, the interview was an eye-opener for black readers.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

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.