up to one's eyeballs

phrase

Deeply engaged in something, to the point of being overwhelmed.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. Deeply engaged in something, to the point of being overwhelmed.

    First and foremost (rather than last but not least), I couldn't have done this without my wife Nicki Norman, who serves as sounding board and a voice of rationality and moderation, and who sees the big picture when I'm up to my eyeballs in details.

    2010, Peter H. Gleick, Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
up to one's eyes

Origin

See up to here.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

up to one's eyeballs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/up%20to%20one's%20eyeballs

MLA

“up to one's eyeballs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/up%20to%20one's%20eyeballs. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “up to one's eyeballs,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/up%20to%20one's%20eyeballs.

Source: up to one's eyeballs on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.