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eye-watering

British  

adjective

  1. painful or extremely unpleasant

    eye-watering electricity bills

"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

Other Word Forms

  • eye-wateringly adverb

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.

The metal has been supported by many factors, including haven demand and interest-rate cuts, but the “main factor behind the eye-watering gains has been due to short-term tightness in supply,” Razaqzada said.

From MarketWatch

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly and privately highlighted the eye-watering £375,000-a-week wages paid to the Brazilian as an example of the profligacy that predated his arrival.

From BBC

Although an eye-watering sum for most Spaniards, who struggle to rent or buy in a housing crisis that is consistently a top concern for the population, the numbers attract luxury capital.

From Barron's

However, the stock’s eye-watering gains in 2025 against the backdrop of no revenue have raised eyebrows.

From Barron's

Consensus calls for EPS to climb 8% this quarter, with tech doing most of the heavy lifting, but that very well may prove to be conservative: The economy is still expanding, artificial intelligence investments continue at eye-watering levels, and tariff levels are holding steady.

From Barron's