avid

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 But the dream of the former product designer and avid homebrewer laid dormant for years. — Matt Koesters, Cincinnati.com, "Sharonville's first craft brewery, Third Eye Brewing Company, opens Wednesday," 16 June 2020 Sessions was also an avid note-taker during trials, which occasionally proved helpful. — John Maccormack, ExpressNews.com, "William Sessions: Former prosecutor, judge and FBI director, dies at 90," 12 June 2020 Although Mary Brunson, who works for a tech company, maintains a limited social media presence, the Kitchen Committee appealed to the avid cook. — Anh-minh Le, SFChronicle.com, "Bay Area community gathers around a mystery recipe box," 12 June 2020 An avid outdoorsman, Sessions climbed to Mt. Everest’s base camp and trekked in the Himalayas on several occasions. — Stephen Miller, Bloomberg.com, "William Sessions, FBI Chief Fired by Bill Clinton, Dies at 90," 11 June 2020 Plus, her family was already avid visitors of the museum. — Mj Slaby, The Indianapolis Star, "Children’s Museum of Indianapolis to end preschool program due to coronavirus," 10 June 2020 Soon, avid hikers will be able to trek through all of Italy’s 25 national parks along one long trail. — Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, "Italy's New Hiking Trail Will Connect All 25 National Parks," 8 June 2020 The skill levels vary for the bike riding camps from balance bikes all the way up to avid bikers. — Oregonkid.com, oregonlive, "Looking for sports camps for kids this summer? Here are some options," 8 June 2020 As a former Clevelander, Hendricks still is in contact with some of his friends from high school, who are also avid Browns fans. — Cameron Fields, cleveland, "Browns fan in Texas won’t stop rooting on his hometown team," 5 June 2020

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.