1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
a wide-eyed and trusting child
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in susceptible
readily taken advantage of
the sort of phony UFO "artifacts" that wide-eyed tourists fall for
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wide-eyed
Jeff Goldblum is perfect as the lanky mad scientist doing nude experiments in his warehouse lab, and his wide-eyed transformation into the horny, sugar-hungry man-fly underlines the weird anxieties that Cronenberg always brings to body horror.
—
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Bailey has a wide-eyed clueless cuteness that lends to her character’s well-meaning naiveté — even her missteps have a way of working out.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Her career is filled with the kinds of on-the-ground adventures that should inspire plenty of wide-eyed journalism students who haven’t yet realized how much of the job is just staring at laptop screens.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2026
She was also shown a black-and-white photo of Athena in the FedEx delivery truck with Horner; Athena was wide-eyed while Horner drove.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Bailey has a wide-eyed clueless cuteness that lends to her character’s well-meaning naiveté — even her missteps have a way of working out.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Her career is filled with the kinds of on-the-ground adventures that should inspire plenty of wide-eyed journalism students who haven’t yet realized how much of the job is just staring at laptop screens.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2026
She was also shown a black-and-white photo of Athena in the FedEx delivery truck with Horner; Athena was wide-eyed while Horner drove.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wide-eyed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wide-eyed
Adjective
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When a naïve piglet named Lucky (Gaten Matarazzo) rises to farmhouse leadership alongside the cunning boar Napoleon (Seth Rogen), the revolution sparked by their human farmer’s bankruptcy in the film‘s first act takes a turn for the fascist worse.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
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Not the naive version attempted in 2016.—
Emin Gün Sirer,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Sabres could be susceptible to speed with the way their defensemen push it in the offensive zone.—
Stephen Conroy,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
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Leaves weakened by pests or disease would be susceptible to frost damage, but burgundy foliage is not affected by such stressors.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Abe told a judge at an April 27 proceeding that Allen has no prior arrests or convictions and is presumed innocent under the law.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Same goes for the three separate books that were pitched to me at the same time by the same publisher, all themed around why OJ Simpson is innocent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Opta’s power rankings would suggest Arsenal are the only team in the league with easier fixtures between now and the end.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Drastic measures become easier to justify, both legally and politically.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Maybe the bright lights of a win-or-go-home playoff game proved too big of a moment for a young, inexperienced Hawks team.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
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Edmonton showed off its postseason poise in Game 5, throttling the Ducks in a 4-1 victory and putting the onus on their inexperienced opponents to finish off the series.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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July 23 – August 22 Clarity today comes from keeping your message simple and grounded.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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Brown said Atlanta was taking away the Knicks’ spray game, which made the answer simpler.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wide-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wide-eyed. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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