eager

1 of 2

adjective

ea·​ger ˈē-gər 

1

: marked by enthusiastic or impatient desire or interest

2

a

archaic : sharp

b

obsolete : sour

eagerly adverb

eagerness noun

eagerness

2 of 2

noun

ea·​ger·​ness

plural -es

1

: the quality or state of being eager : ardor, enthusiasm

2

: an act or instance of being eager

Synonyms of eager

Adjective

• excited
• enthusiastic
• avid
• anxious
• keen

Choose the Right Synonym for eager

eager, avid, keen, anxious, athirst mean moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest.

eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

Examples of eager in a Sentence

Adjective

… wine connoisseurs eager to visit cellars and late-fall pilgrims seeking the increasingly rare white truffle … —Corby Kummer, Atlantic, August 2000

… so many religions were steeped in an absolutist frame of mind—each convinced that it alone had a monopoly on the truth and therefore eager for the state to impose this truth on others. —Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996

She was eager to get started.

The crowd was eager for more.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Cibrowski is said to be casting a wide net for talent, one of these people says, and is eager to bring in someone familiar with being on TV and with experience as a host. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 June 2026

On the road, King often had to wave off a guard to let an eager fan through. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026

For anyone who’s eager to see the young actor dive into a new role, but has no idea what’s going on with the show itself, allow Entertainment Weekly to break it down. —Rachel Labonte, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026

For now, investors appear eager to overlook Musk’s politics and focus on his company. —Allie Canal, NBC news, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English egre, from Anglo-French egre, aigre, from Latin acer — more at edge

Noun

Middle English egrenesse, from egre + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing eager

• eager beaver

Rhymes for eager

• leaguer
• meager
• meagre
• segar

Kids Definition

eager

adjective

ea·​ger ˈē-gər 

: having or showing an impatient or enthusiastic desire or interest

was eager to get going

eagerly adverb

eagerness noun

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English egre "sharp, sour, keen," from early French aigre (same meaning), from Latin acer (same meaning) — related to vinegar