naked eye

Idioms  

1. Sight unassisted by an instrument such as a microscope or telescope. For example, These insects are too small to be seen with the naked eye. This expression was first recorded in 1664.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

naked eye

The contact was imperceptible to the naked eye, but a space-age sensor in the ball had confirmed it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

Hainaut called for the number of orbiting satellites to be limited to 100,000 -- and that they be made dim enough to be invisible to the naked eye.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

Only then can one attain a view like this and perhaps, with a naked eye, see mountains as they see each other.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026

This hidden world, known as the microbiome, cannot be seen with the naked eye but plays a central role in reef health and function.

From Science Daily ● May 8, 2026

Only about 6,000 stars are visible to the naked eye from Earth, and only about 2,000 can be seen from any one spot.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson