avid

adjective

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av·id | \ ˈa-vəd

Definition of avid

1 : characterized by enthusiasm and vigorous pursuit : very eager and enthusiastic avid readers/fans an avid golfer

2 : desirous to the point of greed : urgently eager : greedy avid for publicity/success

Other Words from avid Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym The Finer Points of Avid More Example Sentences Learn More about avid

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Choose the Right Synonym for avid

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

The Finer Points of Avid

The original and now relatively unfamiliar sense of avid, “desirous to the point of greed,” developed logically from its root in Latin, avēre (meaning “to long for”). It appears in such phrases as “avid of fame” and “avid for details,” expressions we are more likely to encounter in formal writing than in speech. More common today is the word’s somewhat weakened and ameliorated (that is, “made better,” or given a more positive connotation) meaning “extremely enthusiastic.” This is the sense regularly used of people who have embraced some hobby or pursuit (such as avid readers, gardeners, or knitters).

Examples of avid in a Sentence

He is an avid admirer of horror movies. They took an avid interest in politics. some of the newspaper's most avid readers

Recent Examples on the Web His father, Larry Jefferson, said Jahwar was an avid reader and talented musician who was serious about becoming a minister from an early age. — Dallas News, "Bishop Omar Jahwar honored as community leader after his death from COVID-19 complications," 17 Mar. 2021 An avid outdoorsman, Beaudette was slowly inducting the girls, who were two and four, into his love of nature, teaching them about the constellations and testing his theory that all kids really need to have fun are sticks and rocks. — Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, "A Shooter in the Hills," 8 Mar. 2021 Burns, who lives in Chattanooga, Tenn., is an avid cozy reader as well as a writer of them. — Tamara Lush, BostonGlobe.com, "Murder, but gentler: ‘Cozy’ mysteries are a pandemic-era balm," 7 Mar. 2021 Burns, who lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is an avid cozy reader as well as a writer of them. — orlandosentinel.com, "Murder, but gentler: ‘Cozy’ mysteries a pandemic-era balm," 7 Mar. 2021 His family says Smith was an avid reader of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than 70 years. — Tim Darnell, ajc, "H. Frank Smith, who helped build Atlanta skyline, dead at 93," 15 Feb. 2021 Earhart was an avid supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment and served as a member in the National Woman’s Party, which formed in 1916 to fight for women’s suffrage. — Peter Aitken, Fox News, "Amelia Earhart: What to know about the aviation pioneer," 13 Mar. 2021 President Biden is an avid supporter of the rail network. — Pranshu Verma, New York Times, "Amtrak Wants to Expand Across the Nation. Local Politics Might Intervene.," 6 Mar. 2021 Mike Noel — a Kanab Republican and an avid off-highway vehicle supporter — that bars local governments from restricting off-highway vehicles on city or county streets limits. — Zak Podmore, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Why noise from off-road vehicles is making life miserable in Moab," 25 Feb. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'avid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.