bug-eyed

adjective

ˈbəg-ˌīd How to pronounce bug-eyed (audio)
: having the eyes bulging (as with fright)

Examples of bug-eyed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Try a pair of trendy bug-eyed sunglasses to balance out your gigantic grocery tote. — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 6 Apr. 2026 There’s a bug-eyed rabbit, a blue donkey and several variations of what appear to be skulls. — Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 Laina Morris, for instance, has tried to move on from the image of her grinning, bug-eyed face that became a popular meme portraying her as an overly protective and clingy girlfriend. — Ben Pettis, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026 The occupational therapist’s bug-eyed goldfish and my attending’s regal twin tabbies, Sasha and Mischa, stare back at me from the wall. — Ashley Andreou, STAT, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bug-eyed

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bug-eyed was in 1872

Rhymes for bug-eyed

See All Rhymes for bug-eyed

Browse Nearby Words

bugeye
bug-eyed
bugfish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bug-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bug-eyed. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bug-eyed

adjective
-ˌīd
: having the eyes bulging (as in astonishment)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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