popeyed

8.6

Having very wide eyes because you are surprised

adjective
/ˈpoʊpaɪd/

: ojos desorbitados

His popeyed expression showed how surprised he was by the unexpected news.

Examples

Mordant and Goldar watch, popeyed, as Ivan's body stretches out like a huge piece of gum.

Fiction book (1995)
She stared popeyed at the fireworks, unable to believe her eyes.
Below the name, there is a popeyed caricature affixed with brittle, yellowed cellophane tape.

Fiction book (1995)
The children looked popeyed when they saw the magician pull a rabbit out of a hat.

Synonyms

wide-eyed

vspopeyed

27 3.4

A person who has eyes open wide because they feel surprised or full of wonder

emphasizes bulging eyes from surprise or amazement rather than innocence

bug-eye

vspopeyed

4 7.5

Having big eyes that stick out and look surprised

highlights bulging eyes from surprise or amazement rather than simple startle

goggle-eyed

vspopeyed

1 7.6

Having eyes wide open because you feel surprised or amazed

is about bulging eyes mainly from surprise or amazement

goggly

vspopeyed

Informal

1 8.1

Having very large eyes that look surprised

is used for bulging eyes usually because of surprise or amazement

saucer-eyed

vspopeyed

1 7.2

Having very large round eyes that show surprise

focuses on bulging or sticking out rather than round openness

begoggled

vspopeyed

Archaic

9.6

Having wide, staring eyes that show surprise

is the general term for bulging eyes from surprise or amazement

agaze

vspopeyed

Archaic

9.9

Having eyes wide open and fixed, often from fear or wonder

describes bulging eyes from surprise or amazement rather than fixed staring

Antonyms

closed

3 1.0

Shut so people cannot go in or see

How Wide-Eyed

goggle-eyed

1 7.6

popeyed

8.6

wide-eyed

27 3.4

alert

82 2.8

Surface Forms

popeyed positive

popeyeder comparative

popeyedest superlative

Morphology

popeyed = pop (semi-transparent) = pop + eyed

The meaning can be inferred as 'pop' (to pop out/protrude) + '-eyed' ('having eyes'), but spelling and associations (e.g., the cartoon 'Popeye' or other senses of 'pop') may confuse learners.

Etymology

Popeyed comes from the simple image of eyes that 'pop' out, with the pop part meaning 'to push out quickly' and the eye part clear. So, to be popeyed is to have eyes that look very wide or bulging because of surprise or shock.