wide-eyed

adjective

ˈwīd-ˈīd 

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

Synonyms

• aw-shucks
• dewy
• dewy-eyed
• green
• ingenuous
• innocent
• naïf
• naif
• naive
• naïve
• primitive
• simple
• simpleminded
• uncritical
• unknowing
• unsophisticated
• unsuspecting
• unsuspicious
• unwary
• unworldly

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

She was chosen to play the role of a wide-eyed singer because her husband worked in the music industry. —Keith Sharon, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

At 27, Ebeling had a wide-eyed, high-energy way about him. —E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024

Dexter: Original Sin flashes back to a young Dexter Morgan to pass the torch from Michael C. Hall’s grizzled, fugitive serial killer in present-day to 1991’s wide-eyed forensics Miami Metro intern played by Patrick Gibson. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Dec. 2024

Its jokes are profound, its wisdom ridiculous, its irreverence wide-eyed and irresistible. —Pitchfork, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

wide-eyed

adjective

ˈwīd-ˈīd

1

: having the eyes wide open especially with wonder or astonishment

2

: naive sense 2