What does “See eye to eye” mean?
To agree with someone about an opinion or decision.
Main example sentence
“Although they have different work styles, they see eye to eye on team values.”
How and when to use it
Use it for opinions, priorities, and decisions rather than for simply seeing or understanding facts. Speakers often use a negative form—do not see eye to eye—to describe disagreement without making the conflict sound extreme. Naming the topic makes the sentence clearer.
More natural examples
- We do not always see eye to eye, but we respect each other’s views.
- The partners see eye to eye on the company’s long-term direction.
- My parents and I finally saw eye to eye about the travel plan.
- They see eye to eye on quality, even though their methods differ.
Agreement without identical personalities
People can see eye to eye on one subject while disagreeing elsewhere. The phrase does not claim that the relationship is perfect or that every opinion matches.
Common sentence patterns
Typical forms are 'see eye to eye with someone' and 'see eye to eye on/about something.' The phrase eye to eye does not change for plural subjects.
Agreement versus understanding
If two people understand the same plan but prefer different choices, they are on the same page about the facts but may not see eye to eye on the decision.