starry-eyed

American  

[stahr-ee-ahyd] / ˈstɑr iˌaɪd /

adjective

1. overly romantic or idealistic.

   He was a starry-eyed dreamer.

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starry-eyed British  

adjective

1. given to naive wishes, judgments, etc; full of unsophisticated optimism; gullible

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Etymology

Origin of starry-eyed

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

starry-eyed

But he does urge caution for "starry-eyed MBAs" who think they're immune from the risks of failure.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

The mistake starry-eyed investors make at times like this is betting on every horse, or in thinking that they can handicap AI thoroughbreds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

This often results in entertaining, informative work: Acquired, a deeply researched show by two starry-eyed tech investors, regularly tops podcast charts with dives into famous companies.

From Slate ● Apr. 7, 2026

Then just a starry-eyed Catholic schoolgirl, she remembers walking down Times Square and hearing a woman singing in the streets in a style unknown to her.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026

And now he was in that field house again, not as some gawking, starry-eyed kid, but as a football player, preparing for the semifinal game against the Carter Cowboys.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger