eye-opener

as in shock
informal something that shows or teaches you something in a surprising way Traveling abroad can be a real eye-opener to many people. They say her biography is quite an eye-opener.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 eye-opener The Pitt game was an eye-opener, much like the loss to Oregon was for Ohio State. Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024 The loss was an eye-opener for Seminoles fans, many who may have been expecting a repeat of last year’s 13-0 run to the conference crown. The Athletic College Football Staff, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024 One before-breakfast eye-opener turned into two and pretty soon I was pleasantly jingled. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 14 Aug. 2024 The equipment section is an individual-minded eye-opener. Scott Hocker, theweek, 2 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for eye-opener
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eye-opener
Noun
  • An example would be a war or an oil price shock, or the coronavirus pandemic that caused the February to March 2020 bear market.
    Sarah Min, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The biggest shock to anyone standing within that path and having clear weather — which certainly wasn’t everyone on April 8, 2024 — was the sight of the sun's corona, its wispy white outer atmosphere.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The reaction suggested that the scale of the tariffs had come as a surprise.
    Justin Porter, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
  • More than anything, the biggest surprise here has to be the presence of the 2024 Finals MVP (Jaylen Brown) on this list, despite appearing in 60 of the Boston Celtics’ 76 games to this point.
    Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The revelation struck Tamie deeply, prompting her to leave a $40 tip and record a TikTok video asking viewers to help make a difference.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The Chicago native made the revelation with her brother on their collaborative IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson podcast.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This frame, the band’s only Hot 100 No. 1 single – another shocker – finally surges past that mark and earns triple platinum status.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The Cowboys pulled off the shocker in large part due to their defense, which held the Tigers to only 13 points in the first half.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • On Monday, as stocks were tumbling, a mysterious, apparently misfired tweet about a 90-day tariff relief plan briefly turned the market around in a wild jolt.
    Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Lightning strikes may kill untold numbers of trees every year, but one tropical species has evolved to benefit from the sudden jolts of electricity.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eye-opener.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eye-opener. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!