Meaning & use
make eyes
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Meanings
phraseidiominformal
to look at someone in a way that clearly shows you find them attractive.
Grammar: Used as a fixed phrase with 'at' before the person: make eyes at someone.
Patterns
- make eyes at someone
All evening he was making eyes at the woman at the next table.
The two of them sat in the corner making eyes at each other.
Stop making eyes at the waiter and look at the menu.
phraseidiominformalfigurative
to look at something with obvious longing or desire.
Grammar: Also fixed, with 'at' before the thing you want: make eyes at something.
Patterns
- make eyes at something
He kept making eyes at the chocolate cake on the counter.
She was making eyes at a red sports car in the showroom window.
Common combinations
- make eyes at someone
- The teenagers were making eyes at each other across the classroom.
- sit making eyes at someone
- They sat making eyes at each other all through dinner.
- keep making eyes at someone
- He kept making eyes at her, hoping she would notice.
- stop making eyes at someone
- Stop making eyes at the waiter and eat your food.
- make eyes at each other
- The couple made eyes at each other over their coffee.
Synonyms and how they differ
- flirt
- This is a verb for the whole playful behavior, while 'make eyes' describes only the looking part.
- ogle
- 'Ogle' is stronger and often disapproving, suggesting rude staring; 'make eyes' is lighter and can be playful.
- gaze
- 'Gaze' just means to look steadily and says nothing about attraction, so it fits neutral descriptions better.
Opposites
Word family
- eye contact noun
- the act of looking directly into someone's eyes.
- eyeful noun
- an informal word for a full or striking view of something.
Commonly confused: make eyes or make eye contact? make eyes or catch someone's eye?
make eyes vs make eye contact
This means to look directly at someone while speaking, often to show confidence; it has nothing to do with attraction.
make eyes vs catch someone's eye
This means to get someone's attention by looking at them, not to show romantic interest.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'make eyes' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase takes 'at' before the person and never uses 'an' or changes form, so 'made eyes at him' is right. 'Made eyes him' and 'made eyes on him' use the wrong preposition, and 'made an eye' breaks the fixed wording.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “make eyes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.