1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
a wide-eyed and trusting child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in susceptible
readily taken advantage of
the sort of phony UFO "artifacts" that wide-eyed tourists fall for
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of wide-eyed
His socialite wife, Margo (Malin Akerman), quickly takes Sophie under her wing, introducing the wide-eyed waif to her gaggle of girlfriends, including Jill (Katie Lowes), the wife of the megachurch’s reverend, and Callie (Jaime Ray Newman), the sheriff’s wife.
—
Melissa Locker, Time, 23 July 2025
Known for his iconic depictions of wide-eyed, childlike figures who oscillate between vulnerability and defiance, Nara’s work is much deeper than its deceptively simple style suggests.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
While our children often experience summer with wide-eyed excitement - picturing endless playdates, pool days, and screen time - parents often brace themselves for the real summer marathon.
—Bevone Ritchie, Miami Herald, 22 July 2025
What an opportunity for Quinta Brunson to surprise us with her confident line delivery, and for Tyler James Williams to sell the moment with Gregory’s wide-eyed surprise.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Melissa Locker, Time, 23 July 2025
Known for his iconic depictions of wide-eyed, childlike figures who oscillate between vulnerability and defiance, Nara’s work is much deeper than its deceptively simple style suggests.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
While our children often experience summer with wide-eyed excitement - picturing endless playdates, pool days, and screen time - parents often brace themselves for the real summer marathon.
—Bevone Ritchie, Miami Herald, 22 July 2025
What an opportunity for Quinta Brunson to surprise us with her confident line delivery, and for Tyler James Williams to sell the moment with Gregory’s wide-eyed surprise.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide-eyed
Adjective
-
Even Portugal, who have been naive defensively but have considerable pace in attack, could threaten in transition, and Italy will need to shore up that element of their game to avoid being caught out.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
4 July 2025
-
So, the whole thing just seems naive from people who’ve been oppressed by this murderous regime for 46 years.—
Fiction Non Fiction
July 3,
Literary Hub,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
Alligator Alcatraz, which sits inside Big Cypress National Preserve, is susceptible to a hurricane strike from nearly any direction.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Not to mention, antibiotics aren’t always effective at killing drug-resistant bugs, and each UTI leaves you more susceptible to future infections, creating a vicious cycle.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Additionally, wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian head scarf, at an event celebrating Arab Heritage Month was inflammatory of Johnson in the political environment following the massacre of innocent Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 July 2025
-
Attorneys have also raised concerns about the increase in arrests of people with pending charges, who are presumed innocent, and disrupting their ability to mount a defense.—
Eva Wen,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Hosta is easy to grow and tolerates some challenging sites such as heavy shade and nearby black walnut trees.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
31 July 2025
-
Experts say there are no easy answers to this crisis.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
Much of their advocacy is focused on pushing for the simplest way to address social-media addiction in kids: making American schools into phone-free environments.—
Charlotte Alter,
Time,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Transform public-internal data fusion into simple, actionable insights anyone can use.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Clearly, these governors and the state legislators believe their constituents who voted them into office are so gullible that facts and truth are unnecessary.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025
-
Those who get the fish placed on their backs are seen as gullible.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide-eyed. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share