Synonym Chooser

How is the word eager distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of eager are anxious, athirst, avid, and keen. While all these words 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

When might anxious be a better fit than eager?

The words anxious and eager can be used in similar contexts, but anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

When can athirst be used instead of eager?

The synonyms athirst and eager are sometimes interchangeable, but athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

How are the words avid and eager related?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

Where would keen be a reasonable alternative to eager?

While in some cases nearly identical to eager, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Examples of eager in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In Maui, a destination eager for tourists to return after 2023’s devastating wildfire, Ferraro’s Restaurant & Bar recently reopened as the flagship dining concept for Four Seasons Maui as the only oceanfront open-air restaurant in Wailea. Chris Dong, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2024 Meanwhile, Democrats are eager to secure control of all three. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 15 Oct. 2024 Impressed by the casting and eager to see the beloved Iron Man actor return to the big screens, kids and adults alike are going all out with full-body armor and bright green capes this Halloween. 6. Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Oct. 2024 The fondest passages concern his first steps as an eager but untrained journalist at Interview and the Village Voice, and his friendships with countercultural and literary figures, from Candy Darling to Jamaica Kincaid. The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for eager 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eager.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near eager

Cite this Entry

“Eager.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eager. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on eager

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