eye-opener

noun

eye-open·​er ˈī-ˌō-pə-nər How to pronounce eye-opener (audio)
-ˌōp-nər
1
: a drink intended to wake one up
2
: something startling, surprising, or enlightening
her biography is a real eye-opener
eye-opening
ˈī-ˌō-pə-niŋ How to pronounce eye-opener (audio)
-ˌōp-niŋ
adjective

Examples of eye-opener in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to Bush Hager, that article was quite the eye-opener for her mother. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2025 That audition in that role is a big eye-opener for what Broberg can be going forward, and what the Blues can be with him. Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025 On Donovan’s third day in the big leagues, there was a bench-clearing situation between the Cardinals and New York Mets, and that was an eye-opener to him. Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 The bigger revelation The idea that a few days of work and a handful of dollars could replicate such a core AI capability is an eye-opener for many industry watchers. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for eye-opener

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of eye-opener was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Eye-opener.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eye-opener. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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