open-mouthed

adjective

ˌō-pən-ˈmau̇t͟hd  -ˈmau̇tht 

variants or less commonly openmouthed

1

a

: having the mouth open

… bizarre touches such as fireplaces in the form of huge, open-mouthed, monstrous faces.

—Deborah Howard

especially : having the mouth open in an expression of shock, surprise, etc.

The crowd stood open-mouthed with murmurs of wonder …

—Gutzon Borglum

It was an incredible display of batting which left cricket fans … open-mouthed with astonishment.

—dailymail.co.uk

… you'll find the robot working away before an audience of openmouthed viewers.

—Edwards Park

b

: made or done with the mouth open

an open-mouthed yawn

If any open-mouthed kissing is involved in a role, the actor must be informed of this at the audition phase.

—Monty Brower

c

: causing an open-mouthed expression (as of shock or surprise)

[Jennifer] Capriati stared in openmouthed wonder at the sight of so many grown-ups acting like kids.

—S. L. Price

2

of a container : having a wide opening : wide-mouthed

open-mouthed jars

3

: clamorous, vociferous

It is certain that the ladies of this city … are all open-mouthed against the murderers of a sovereign …

—Thomas Jefferson

… if all I have said seems to you but mere open-mouthed praise of these arts, I must say that it is not for nothing that what I have hitherto put before you has taken that form.

—William Morris

openmouthedly

ˌō-pən-ˈmau̇-t͟həd-lē  -thəd- 

adverb

openmouthedness

ˌō-pən-ˈmau̇-t͟həd-nəs 

-thəd-

noun

Synonyms

• amazed
• astonished
• astounded
• awed
• awestruck
• awestricken
• dumbfounded
• dumfounded
• flabbergasted
• marveling
• marvelling
• wondering

Examples of open-mouthed in a Sentence

I stood there open-mouthed, unable to believe what I was seeing.

the stunning view from the mountaintop left us open-mouthed and at a loss for words

Recent Examples on the Web

But despite dolphins’ playful reputation, their facial expressions during play had never been investigated before, though studies have established that other mammals, like humans and monkeys, communicate with open-mouthed, smile-like expressions when playing. —Issy Ronald, CNN, 4 Oct. 2024

The movie’s anonymous serial killer hides behind an oddly specific knowledge of pop culture and the infamous Ghostface mask—an eerie, bone-white, open-mouthed ghost with a freakishly extended jawline. —Alex Vance, Parents, 20 Sep. 2024

Then there was a molten cavern with an open-mouthed oven: the furnace room, where Davis’ character, a long-suffering low-level demon, has spent centuries shoveling coal. —Alex Bhattacharji, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024

Tkachuk happily obliged, raising the Cup and slopping its chilly contents (Bud Light and Michelob Ultra) over the railing onto open-mouthed fans below. —Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2024

Men snoring open-mouthed on park benches; a balloon from the Central Park Zoo floating to hide a doting father’s face as his baby reaches towards him. —Helen Stoilas, CNN, 24 June 2024

And her performance is brave, but more for its rawness, its unembarrassed self-referentiality, and its balls-to-the-wall insanity — at one point, Moore’s face, buried in prosthetics and makeup, erupts from her own back in a silent, open-mouthed scream. —Rachel Handler, Vulture, 20 May 2024

Characters race onto rooftops, open-mouthed, their necks craned toward the cosmos. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2024

Unlike Edvard Munch’s epic, open-mouthed, two-handed wail, the faces in Johnson’s art are tranquil and composed, not emotional. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

openmouthed

adjective

open·​mouthed ˌō-pən-ˈmau̇t͟hd  -ˈmau̇tht 

1

: having the mouth wide open

2

: struck with amazement or wonder