Idioms for eyes help us see beyond what’s visible—into emotion, perception, and unspoken truth.
Whether it’s catching someone’s eye or turning a blind one, these expressions sharpen the way we describe how we see and are seen.
In this collection, you’ll discover 50 eye-themed idioms that bring clarity, color, and focus to everyday language.
Best Idioms for Eyes
1. Catch someone’s eye
Meaning: To attract someone’s attention or interest, often unintentionally.
In a Sentence:
She wore a red dress that instantly caught everyone’s eye.
The painting caught my eye as soon as I walked into the gallery.
Other Ways to Say: Grab attention, draw notice, spark interest
2. Keep an eye on
Meaning: To watch something or someone carefully, usually for safety or control.
In a Sentence:
Can you keep an eye on the kids while I cook?
The lifeguard kept an eye on the swimmers from the tower.
Other Ways to Say: Monitor, watch over, look after
3. Eagle eye
Meaning: A sharp ability to notice small or subtle details.
In a Sentence:
With her eagle eye, she spotted the typo from across the room.
Editors need an eagle eye to catch every mistake.
Other Ways to Say: Sharp-sighted, detail-oriented, watchful
4. Keep an eye peeled
Meaning: To remain alert and watchful, especially for something specific.
In a Sentence:
Keep an eye peeled for the delivery truck.
He kept his eye peeled for any signs of danger.
Other Ways to Say: Stay on the lookout, remain alert, be vigilant
5. Eyes like a hawk
Meaning: To have extremely good vision or the ability to notice everything.
In a Sentence:
The detective had eyes like a hawk when it came to spotting clues.
With eyes like a hawk, she caught the spilled ink on the form.
Other Ways to Say: Super observant, eagle-eyed, hyper-aware
6. All eyes
Meaning: When everyone is watching or paying attention to the same person or thing.
In a Sentence:
As she entered the room, all eyes were on her.
The moment he stood to speak, all eyes turned his way.
Other Ways to Say: Center of attention, everyone’s watching, under the spotlight
7. Bird’s eye view
Meaning: A high or wide perspective of something, often giving a complete overview.
In a Sentence:
From the top floor, we had a bird’s eye view of the city.
The drone gave us a bird’s eye view of the entire forest.
Other Ways to Say: Aerial perspective, wide-angle view, high-level view
8. In the blink of an eye
Meaning: Something that happens very quickly or suddenly.
In a Sentence:
He disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The accident happened in the blink of an eye.
Other Ways to Say: In an instant, in no time, in a flash
9. Look someone in the eye
Meaning: To make direct eye contact, often to show honesty or confidence.
In a Sentence:
She looked him in the eye and told the truth.
I couldn’t even look her in the eye after what I’d done.
Other Ways to Say: Meet someone’s gaze, face directly, lock eyes
10. Feast your eyes on
Meaning: To enjoy looking at something that is visually beautiful or impressive.
In a Sentence:
Feast your eyes on this beautiful sunset.
The art exhibit invited visitors to feast their eyes on its bold colors.
Other Ways to Say: Take in the beauty, gaze with delight, admire fully
11. Eye to eye
Meaning: To agree or share the same opinion with someone.
In a Sentence:
We don’t always see eye to eye, but I respect his decision.
They finally saw eye to eye after a long discussion.
Other Ways to Say: Be on the same page, agree fully, share the same view
12. Apple of one’s eye
Meaning: Someone who is cherished or loved deeply.
In a Sentence:
Her daughter is the apple of her eye.
That vintage guitar is the apple of his eye.
Other Ways to Say: Most beloved, favorite person, treasured one
13. More than meets the eye
Meaning: Something or someone is more complex or interesting than they appear.
In a Sentence:
Don’t be fooled—there’s more to him than meets the eye.
This quiet town has more than meets the eye.
Other Ways to Say: Deeper than it looks, hidden depths, beyond the surface
14. Eye of the beholder
Meaning: Beauty or value is subjective and depends on who’s looking.
In a Sentence:
Art is always in the eye of the beholder.
To some, that sculpture is ugly—but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Other Ways to Say: Beauty is subjective, taste is personal, one’s view matters
15. Black eye
Meaning: A mark of shame or embarrassment; sometimes a literal bruise.
In a Sentence:
The scandal gave the company a black eye.
He came home with a black eye after the fight.
Other Ways to Say: A bad reputation, bruise to pride, a blemish on the image
Related Post: 50 Idioms About Beauty and Appearance
16. Cry your eyes out
Meaning: To cry very hard and for a long time.
In a Sentence:
She cried her eyes out after hearing the news.
He cried his eyes out during the movie.
Other Ways to Say: Sob heavily, weep uncontrollably, break down in tears
17. A sight for sore eyes
Meaning: Something or someone very pleasing to look at, often after a long absence.
In a Sentence:
After a long day, my bed is a sight for sore eyes.
You’re a sight for sore eyes—I’ve missed you!
Other Ways to Say: A welcome view, a pleasant surprise, joy to behold
18. Before your very eyes
Meaning: Something happens right in front of someone.
In a Sentence:
The magic trick happened before my very eyes.
She transformed her life before our very eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Right in front of you, clearly visible, unmistakably happening
19. Bedroom eyes
Meaning: A seductive or sultry gaze.
In a Sentence:
He gave her those classic bedroom eyes across the table.
She knows how to work those bedroom eyes to her advantage.
Other Ways to Say: Seductive stare, alluring gaze, smoldering look
20. Can’t take my eyes off you
Meaning: To be completely captivated by someone’s appearance or presence.
In a Sentence:
You looked so beautiful, I couldn’t take my eyes off you.
He was so charming—I literally couldn’t take my eyes off him.
Other Ways to Say: Mesmerized by, captivated, drawn in completely
21. Turn a blind eye
Meaning: To intentionally ignore something wrong or undesirable.
In a Sentence:
The manager turned a blind eye to the employees breaking the rules.
You can’t just turn a blind eye to injustice.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore deliberately, look the other way, pretend not to see
22. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes
Meaning: To deceive or mislead someone.
In a Sentence:
He tried to pull the wool over the judge’s eyes but got caught.
Don’t let flashy sales tactics pull the wool over your eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Trick someone, mislead, con
23. Turn a deaf ear
Meaning: To ignore or refuse to listen, especially intentionally.
In a Sentence:
She turned a deaf ear to all criticism.
He often turns a deaf ear when people offer advice.
Other Ways to Say: Tune out, ignore, block out opinions
24. Close your eyes to the truth
Meaning: To deny or avoid facing reality.
In a Sentence:
You’re closing your eyes to the truth about your situation.
We often close our eyes to uncomfortable facts.
Other Ways to Say: Live in denial, avoid the obvious, pretend not to know
25. Blind leading the blind
Meaning: People who are uninformed guide others who are also uninformed.
In a Sentence:
With no real plan, it was like the blind leading the blind.
That meeting was chaos—just the blind leading the blind.
Other Ways to Say: No one knows what they’re doing, lost together, clueless guidance
26. Rose-colored glasses
Meaning: To see things as better than they are; overly optimistic.
In a Sentence:
She views her ex through rose-colored glasses.
Take off the rose-colored glasses and face the facts.
Other Ways to Say: Be overly optimistic, idealize, romanticize
27. Look the other way
Meaning: To ignore something wrong instead of dealing with it.
In a Sentence:
They looked the other way while rules were broken.
I can’t just look the other way when someone’s being hurt.
Other Ways to Say: Avoid responsibility, ignore wrongdoing, pretend not to see
28. Mask your eyes
Meaning: To hide true emotions or intentions, especially in one’s gaze.
In a Sentence:
She masked her eyes so no one saw her pain.
He masked his eyes behind sunglasses.
Other Ways to Say: Hide emotions, conceal expression, cover up the truth
29. Shut-eye
Meaning: Sleep or rest, used humorously or casually.
In a Sentence:
I just need a bit of shut-eye before the big meeting.
After that trip, I could use some serious shut-eye.
Other Ways to Say: Sleep, rest, quick nap
30. Out of sight, out of mind
Meaning: We tend to forget about things or people when they aren’t present.
In a Sentence:
They stopped talking after the move—out of sight, out of mind.
Once the clutter was gone, it was out of sight, out of mind.
Other Ways to Say: Forgotten quickly, absence reduces emotional impact, mentally removed
31. Eye candy
Meaning: Someone or something attractive but with little depth.
In a Sentence:
The movie wasn’t deep, but it was visual eye candy.
He may be eye candy, but he’s not great at conversation.
Other Ways to Say: Visual treat, attractive distraction, pleasing to the eye
32. Easy on the eyes
Meaning: Pleasant or attractive to look at.
In a Sentence:
The new website design is easy on the eyes.
She’s not just easy on the eyes—she’s brilliant too.
Other Ways to Say: Good-looking, visually soothing, attractive
33. Give someone the eye
Meaning: To flirt or show interest through eye contact.
In a Sentence:
He kept giving her the eye from across the room.
She gave him the eye, and he walked right over.
Other Ways to Say: Flirt silently, eye contact flirtation, send a look
34. Stars in your eyes
Meaning: To feel excitement or admiration, often overly idealistic.
In a Sentence:
She had stars in her eyes when she talked about becoming famous.
You can’t make decisions with stars in your eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Dreamy, starstruck, over-optimistic
35. Eyes light up
Meaning: To show excitement or joy suddenly.
In a Sentence:
His eyes lit up when he saw the puppy.
You could see her eyes light up at the good news.
Other Ways to Say: Brighten, glow with joy, shine with excitement
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Hair with Style and Sass
36. Eyes wide open
Meaning: To be fully aware or cautious.
In a Sentence:
Go into this deal with your eyes wide open.
He entered the relationship with eyes wide open.
Other Ways to Say: Fully alert, aware, realistic
37. Longing in the eyes
Meaning: A look that expresses deep yearning or desire.
In a Sentence:
There was longing in her eyes as she looked at the photo.
His eyes held a quiet longing for something more.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional gaze, unspoken desire, wistful stare
38. A sparkle in the eye
Meaning: A lively, often playful or excited look.
In a Sentence:
He had a sparkle in his eye when he shared the idea.
She always greets the kids with a sparkle in her eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Twinkle, bright gleam, joyful glint
39. Puppy-dog eyes
Meaning: A sad, pleading look to gain sympathy.
In a Sentence:
Don’t give me those puppy-dog eyes—it won’t work.
The kid used puppy-dog eyes to get a second cookie.
Other Ways to Say: Begging look, innocent gaze, emotional plea
40. Fire in the eyes
Meaning: A look filled with passion, determination, or intensity.
In a Sentence:
She had fire in her eyes before the final match.
There was real fire in his eyes when he defended his beliefs.
Other Ways to Say: Fierce gaze, intense look, burning determination
41. Eye of the storm
Meaning: The calm center in the middle of chaos or conflict.
In a Sentence:
She remained calm, like the eye of the storm, while everyone panicked.
In that tense meeting, he was the eye of the storm—still, but surrounded by chaos.
Other Ways to Say: Calm center, peaceful core, stillness in crisis
42. Eye for an eye
Meaning: The idea of revenge or equal retribution.
In a Sentence:
They believed in an eye for an eye when it came to justice.
An eye for an eye won’t bring back peace—it just continues the cycle.
Other Ways to Say: Retribution, tit for tat, equal payback
43. Eyes on the prize
Meaning: To stay focused on a goal or end result.
In a Sentence:
No matter the distractions, she kept her eyes on the prize.
With eyes on the prize, they trained every day for the championship.
Other Ways to Say: Stay focused, pursue the goal, fixed on the outcome
44. Keep your eyes open
Meaning: Stay alert or be cautious.
In a Sentence:
Keep your eyes open in unfamiliar neighborhoods.
She always keeps her eyes open for opportunities to grow.
Other Ways to Say: Stay watchful, be on guard, remain aware
45. Eyes bigger than your stomach
Meaning: To take more than you can handle, often with food.
In a Sentence:
He piled his plate high—classic case of eyes bigger than his stomach.
She wanted to try every dessert but realized her eyes were bigger than her stomach.
Other Ways to Say: Overambitious, greedy, more than needed
46. Evil eye
Meaning: A malevolent glare believed to bring bad luck.
In a Sentence:
She gave him the evil eye after his rude comment.
In some cultures, people wear charms to protect against the evil eye.
Other Ways to Say: Curse, malevolent look, bad luck stare
47. Death stare
Meaning: A sharp, intimidating glare expressing anger or disapproval.
In a Sentence:
When he forgot their anniversary, she gave him the death stare.
The teacher’s death stare silenced the whole class.
Other Ways to Say: Intense glare, threatening look, silent scolding
48. Shoot daggers with your eyes
Meaning: To glare at someone with intense hostility.
In a Sentence:
He shot daggers with his eyes the moment she walked in.
You could feel the tension when she started shooting daggers with her eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Angry stare, hostile gaze, visual attack
49. The third eye
Meaning: A metaphor for inner wisdom, intuition, or spiritual insight.
In a Sentence:
Meditation helps awaken the third eye and deepen awareness.
Her intuition was so sharp, it felt like she had a third eye.
Other Ways to Say: Inner sight, intuitive vision, spiritual awareness
50. All-seeing eye
Meaning: A symbol of omniscience or being watched by a higher power.
In a Sentence:
The ancient temple had an emblem of the all-seeing eye.
They believed the government was acting like an all-seeing eye.
Other Ways to Say: Watchful presence, constant surveillance, divine vision
Exercise to practice – Idioms for eyes
Fill in the blank with the most appropriate eye-related idiom:
- When the power went out, she stayed calm—like the __________.
- He trained for years, always keeping his __________.
- That kid has __________—he saw the coin from across the room.
- I love her cooking—it’s truly a __________.
- She didn’t say a word, just gave me a __________.
- They gave each other __________, clearly in love.
- You’re not fooling me—I can see it in your __________.
- He’s got __________ for detail—nothing escapes him.
- That new phone? Total __________.
- She smiled, but there was a cold __________ behind it.
Answers
- eye of the storm
- eyes on the prize
- eagle eyes
- feast for the eyes
- death stare
- bedroom eyes
- eyes
- an eye
- eye candy
- glint in her eyes
Conclusion
Eyes hold stories—of curiosity, judgment, emotion, and insight.
These idioms for eyes help us see language through a sharper lens, adding depth to how we describe attention, connection, and truth.
When words fall short, expressions like these help us capture exactly what we witness, feel, or try to hide.
Let your language stay observant—and always keep an eye on the details.
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
