Pan-eyed

Describing a state of heightened alertness and wide-eyed vigilance, often stemming from fear, anxiety, or intense concentration. It suggests a visual awareness of one's surroundings, scanning for potential threats or seeking crucial information. The term implies a nervous energy, where the eyes dart rapidly, taking in everything simultaneously. It often denotes a feeling of vulnerability or being under scrutiny, where the individual feels exposed and must constantly monitor their environment. The intensity can range from subtle wariness to outright terror.

Pan-eyed meaning with examples

• The hiker, lost and with nightfall approaching, became pan-eyed, his gaze sweeping the forest floor for landmarks and peering into the deepening shadows for any sign of a predator. His heart hammered against his ribs with each rustle in the leaves.
• After the sudden explosion, survivors emerged from the rubble, pan-eyed with shock and trauma, their faces streaked with dust. They struggled to comprehend the destruction around them and were wary of any further danger.
• During the interrogation, the suspect sat pan-eyed, barely blinking, watching every movement of the investigators and carefully controlling his breathing, trying to appear calm and in control of the information.
• The child, separated from their parents in the crowded marketplace, wandered through the throngs of people, pan-eyed, desperately searching for a familiar face amidst the chaos and cacophony around them.
• As the rollercoaster crested the summit, the thrill-seekers, initially exuberant, became pan-eyed as the steep drop loomed. Their excitement morphed to a blend of anticipation and apprehensive dread, reflected in their dilated pupils.