in the eye of

1. In the center or focal point of something, as in They were right in the eye of this controversy . This term employs eye in the sense of “a central spot,” a usage dating from the mid-1700s.

2. in the eyes of . In the view or opinion of, from the standpoint of. For example, In the eyes of his fans Elvis could do no wrong , or In the eyes of the law he was a fugitive . The eyes here allude to their function, seeing. [Late 1500s]

Example Sentences

I was developing my own powers of observation; what’s precious, Outterbridge’s work emphasized, resided in the eye of the beholder.

From Los Angeles Times

And, yes, the most common takeaway remains: Parents have no idea what’s going on with their teenagers — though “horror” is in the eye of the beholder.

From Los Angeles Times

Moles from populist and antimonopoly organizations, sent to spy on this new collective that had purposefully stuck a finger in the eye of other liberal organs like Indivisible and Demand Progress and Justice Democrats and more.

From Slate

While she's far from being in the eye of the storm — she's white, married to a man and middle class — she said she feels that the actions the Trump administration is unleashing now are only the beginning.

From Salon

Davis, who had covered the NFL for CBS but now is shifting to college football, said the value or detriment of switching schools is in the eye of the evaluator.

From Los Angeles Times