in the eye of

Idioms  

1. In the center or focal point of something, as in They were right in the eye of this controversy . This term employs eye in the sense of “a central spot,” a usage dating from the mid-1700s.

2. in the eyes of . In the view or opinion of, from the standpoint of. For example, In the eyes of his fans Elvis could do no wrong , or In the eyes of the law he was a fugitive . The eyes here allude to their function, seeing. [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in the eye of

Starting five shots back on Sunday, local lad Fleetwood had to swing well, play smartly and stay calm in the eye of the storm.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

Of course, reasonableness is in the eye of the beholder — but to my eye, the reported numbers do not seem too generous.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026

“The fund is going to plaintiffs who were victims of lawfare or weaponization. … Those are pretty ambiguous terms. They’re sort of in the eye of the beholder,” Nixon said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

“It’s really a thumb in the eye of places that are affected by climate change.”

From Salon ● Apr. 10, 2026

Luck was in the eye of the beholder, I supposed.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon