enthusiasm

en·thu·si·asm

noun \in-ˈthü-zē-ˌa-zəm, en-, also -ˈthyü-\

Definition of ENTHUSIASM

1

a : belief in special revelations of the Holy Spirit

b : religious fanaticism

2

a : strong excitement of feeling : ardor <did her work with energy and enthusiasm>

b : something inspiring zeal or fervor <his enthusiasms include sailing and fishing>

Examples of ENTHUSIASM

1. The party supported its candidate with enthusiasm.
2. He seems to lack enthusiasm for the work he's doing.
3. Among his latest enthusiasms are sailing and fishing.
4. Hour by hour, minute by minute, Guerrero is a racehorse, sitting upright in a chair, revising copy, clarifying names and places, sprinkling the reports with jokes while a producer talks in her ear—then delivering with breakneck speed and unflagging enthusiasm. —Joel Drucker, Cigar Aficionado, May/June 2003
5. The Gower has a bewitching effect on my children. Perhaps it is because of having been cooped up in the car for four hours, but once we are negotiating the windy road along this southern Welsh peninsula, they are all gushing with enthusiasm. —Emma Haughton, Times (London), 12 Aug. 2000
6. Now that he was awake, he couldn't understand how he could have slept through the racket the birds were making. “Oliver,” Harry croaked. “It's the crack of dawn.” “Exactly,” said Wood. He was a tall and burly sixth year and, at the moment, his eyes were gleaming with a crazed enthusiasm. “It's part of our new training program. Come on, grab your broom, and let's go,” said Wood heartily. —J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999
7. These days, even the wiliest brand-builders are at least a little anxious about the emerging teenage market, with its stylistic balkanization, shifting folkways and unpredictably spiking enthusiasms. —Hal Espen, New York Times Magazine, 21 Mar. 1999

Origin of ENTHUSIASM

Greek enthousiasmos, from enthousiazein to be inspired, irregular from entheos inspired, from en- + theos god

First Known Use: 1603

Related to ENTHUSIASM

Synonyms

buzz, chic, craze, dernier cri, fad, fashion, flavor, go, hot ticket, last word, latest, mode, rage, sensation, style, ton, trend, vogue

Antonyms

apathy, indifference

Related Words

nine days' wonder (also nine day wonder); new wave; crush, infatuation; fervor, passion; furor, fuss, hullabaloo, to-do, uproar; bandwagon, crusade, cult, movement; novelty, wrinkle; caprice, fancy, whim

Near Antonyms

classic, standard

See Synonym Discussion at passion

Rhymes with ENTHUSIASM

iconoclasm