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Synonyms

wide-eyed

American  
[wahyd-ahyd] / ˈwaɪdˌaɪd /

adjective

  1. with the eyes open wide, as in amazement, innocence, or sleeplessness.


wide-eyed British  

adjective

  1. innocent or credulous

"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

Etymology

Origin of wide-eyed

First recorded in 1850–55

Vocabulary lists containing wide-eyed

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.

See Examples For:

Thomasin McKenzie plays a young woman, Alyce, steeped in her own trauma and loss, who attaches herself to the ploughman, and her ability to express wide-eyed, barely contained hysteria and fear is unmatched.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 11, 2026

My wide-eyed aspirations need to be lowered significantly.

From Slate Aug. 28, 2026

She performed with Nureyev for Queen Elizabeth II. A personal highlight was dancing alongside her idol, Margot Fonteyn, who she had first seen perform as a wide-eyed 20-year-old in New York.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 22, 2026

She has both Judy Garland’s bubbly conviction and wide-eyed naivete, along with the kind of comedic timing that few actors exhibit today.

From Salon Jul. 12, 2026

Jack looked at her, shuddering and clattering and wide-eyed.

From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu

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