Definition of eager
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eagerly
adverb
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Examples of eager in a Sentence
- … wine connoisseurs eager to visit cellars and late-fall pilgrims seeking the increasingly rare white truffle … —Corby Kummer, Atlantic, August 2000
- … so many religions were steeped in an absolutist frame of mind—each convinced that it alone had a monopoly on the truth and therefore eager for the state to impose this truth on others. —Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996
She was eager to get started.
The crowd was eager for more.
Recent Examples of eager from the Web
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The program, under the direction of coach Anita Shaw, is beloved at Dulaney, with players, managers and buddies all enjoying the fun competition, and Ellen has been a wonderful and eager teammate during her years at Dulaney.
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Jan Reedijk, then president of IUPAC’s inorganic-chemistry division, says that the initial announcement was made early to avoid press leaks and to satisfy demands from the claimant labs, which were eager to get the news out.
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Companies like Second Spectrum and others interested in machine learning, data, analysis and virtual reality should have a captive and eager audience.
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Jordan Petty is eager to get back on the mound for the Northwest Indiana Oilmen this summer.
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Readers will fall in love with Byx and race with her through Nedarra, breathless and eager, thinking deeply all the way.
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As Speedy Ortiz’s success continues, Dupuis is eager to make the most of the platform she’s built.
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At the time, Assange was eager to get involved to help NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden find asylum in Ecuador, establishing WikiLeaks as the preeminent organization for whistleblower protection.
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Somehow, someway, Cooper Stepke knew the inexperienced but eager Marriotts Ridge pitching staff would mold into a unit worthy of returning to championship formality.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eager.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of eager
Middle English egre, from Anglo-French egre, aigre, from Latin acer — more at edge
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: 14th century
in the meaning defined at sense 1a
See Words from the same yeareager Synonyms
Synonyms
agog, antsy, anxious, ardent, athirst, avid, crazy, desirous, enthused, enthusiastic, excited, great, greedy, gung ho, hot, hungry, impatient, keen, nuts, pumped, raring, solicitous, thirsty, voracious, wild;
Antonyms
Near Antonyms
casual, incurious, insouciant, nonchalant, unconcerned, uninterested;
aloof, detached, disinterested;
halfhearted, lackadaisical, languid, languorous, lukewarm, spiritless;
averse, disinclined, hesitant, loath (also loth), reluctant, unwilling;
Related Words
ambitious, appetent, covetous, craving, hankering, longing, pining;
breathless, restive, restless;
amenable, disposed, game, glad, inclined, ready, unreluctant, willing;
Phrases
champing at the bit, chomping at the bit;
Synonym Discussion of eager
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.
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- eager to get started
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- avid for new thrills
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- keen on the latest fashions
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- anxious not to make a social blunder
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- athirst for adventure
EAGER Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of eager for English Language Learners
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: very excited and interested : feeling a strong and impatient desire to do something or for something
EAGER Defined for Kids
Definition of eager for Students
: very excited and interested
- … bright eager eyes were looking up into hers …
- —Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
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eagerly
adverb
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eagerness
nounSynonym Discussion of eager
eager, anxious, and keen mean having or showing a strong desire or interest. eager is used when there is much enthusiasm and often impatience.
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- Eager travelers waited for their train.
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- I was anxious to learn who won.
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- The new scouts are keen to learn.
Learn More about eager
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See words that rhyme with eager Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for eager Spanish Central: Translation of eager Nglish: Translation of eager for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of eager for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
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