avid

adjective

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 Spring bingos and prizes are provided by funds received in memory of Joni Sevarino, an avid bingo player. — courant.com, "Community News For The West Hartford Edition," 9 Apr. 2021 Oliver is an avid fetch player, whose energy is only outweighed by his loving and cuddly demeanor. — Julia Ullman, cleveland, "‘Snickerdoodle’ Oliver is one smart (and adorable) cookie: Send us your pet rescue stories," 8 Apr. 2021 An avid basketball player, Gerow eventually agreed to join if Moe could demonstrate a few plays in lacrosse with roots in basketball. — Edward Lee, baltimoresun.com, "UMBC’s Dymin Gerow, Hartford’s Lenaijah Ferguson seeking to set example for future Black lacrosse players," 12 Mar. 2021 Previously an avid baseball player, Piazzolla laid down his bat to concentrate on the bandoneon. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Astor Piazzolla at 100: Argentina’s nuevo tango pioneer is honored worldwide for his still-electrifying music," 11 Mar. 2021 Previously an avid video game player, Bolton also strives to one day, sooner than later, be able to open and close his fingers to grasp and use a controller. — Marcus Fuller, Star Tribune, "Apple Valley basketball star Jordan Bolton defying the odds after spinal cord injury," 4 Dec. 2020 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

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.