wide-eyed

wide-eyed — adjective

1. having your eyes opened much wider than normal, caused by a sudden feeling such

1.形容詞B1
釋義

having your eyes opened much wider than normal, caused by a sudden feeling such as surprise, fear, wonder, or astonishment

例句

The children sat wide-eyed as Marco told them a story about dragons.

linking verb + wide-eyed + as/while clause

Anjali stared wide-eyed at the enormous cake her grandmother had baked.

stared wide-eyed at [something]

同義詞
  • bug-eyed

    more informal; suggests bulging eyes from extreme shock

  • pop-eyed

    informal; similar to bug-eyed but less common

  • open-eyed

    neutral; lacks the emotional intensity of wide-eyed

反義詞
  • squinting

    opposite eye position — partially closed instead of fully open

  • narrow-eyed

    suggests suspicion or anger, not surprise

文法句型

linking verb + wide-eyed

wide-eyed + noun

用法筆記

Often describes a person's facial reaction to something surprising, frightening, or amazing. Can come before a noun (a wide-eyed child) or after a linking verb (stood wide-eyed). The cause of the reaction is typically introduced by with, at, or a when/as clause.

常見錯誤

❌He wide-eyed stared at the painting.
✅He stared wide-eyed at the painting.
💡wide-eyed is an adjective, not an adverb; place it after a linking verb or before a noun.
❌She was wide-eyed with her mouth open.
✅She was wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
💡Use with to introduce the cause (wide-eyed with surprise), not a body part.

2. showing a lack of critical judgment that comes from inexperience, so that you ac

2.形容詞B2
釋義

showing a lack of critical judgment that comes from inexperience, so that you accept people's claims or impressive sights without suspicion or doubt

例句

Xiu was wide-eyed about the promises the salesperson made, not noticing the hidden fees.

wide-eyed about [something]

The film shows how wide-eyed tourists can easily fall for street scams.

同義詞
  • naive

    closest in meaning; lacks the visual metaphor of open eyes

  • gullible

    more negative focus on being easily tricked

  • credulous

    formal register; too willing to believe without evidence

  • innocent

    suggests purity and lack of harmful intent, not just inexperience

反義詞
  • skeptical

    questions claims before accepting them; opposite of uncritical acceptance

  • cynical

    negative in the opposite direction — distrusts everything and everyone

  • worldly

    experienced and knowledgeable about how the world operates

文法句型

wide-eyed + noun

linking verb + wide-eyed

用法筆記

Describes someone whose inexperience leads them to trust too easily. Carries a gentler tone than gullible — it suggests innocence or youthful idealism rather than foolishness. Often used with a touch of affection or nostalgia. The loss of this quality is commonly expressed with no longer not wide-eyed anymore.

常見錯誤

❌The wide-eyed tourist did not understand the city's dangers.
✅The wide-eyed tourist trusted everyone she met and did not notice the warning signs.
💡The word emphasizes uncritical trust, not just lack of understanding.
❌She was very wide-eyed about his lies, so she believed him.
✅She was wide-eyed and believed his lies without questioning them.
💡wide-eyed about is less common; prefer wide-eyed as a standalone adjective describing the person's general tendency.