1
: having or marked by unsophisticated or uncritical acceptance or admiration : naive
wide-eyed innocence
2
: having the eyes wide open especially with wonder or astonishment

Examples of wide-eyed in a Sentence

a wide-eyed and trusting child the sort of phony UFO "artifacts" that wide-eyed tourists fall for
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.
When reports of Sada Baby’s arrest emerged, the rapper’s wide-eyed mug shot quickly went viral on social media. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2025 In another legend, the monk was said to have cut off his eyelids to avoid falling asleep during his meditation, one explanation for the doll’s wide-eyed stare. Rebecca Cairns, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025 One of the season’s main stories has focused on Rick (played by Walton Goggins), a morose middle-aged man vacationing with his earnest, wide-eyed girlfriend, Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025 Toby’s Estate rotates specialist and experimental beans from around the world, sparking wide-eyed delight among java junkies when each monthly menu drops. Jonathan Thompson, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wide-eyed was in 1789

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Cite this Entry

“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wide-eyed. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

wide-eyed

adjective
ˈwīd-ˈīd
1
: having the eyes wide open especially with wonder or astonishment
2

More from Merriam-Webster on wide-eyed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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