eager

adjective

ea·​ger ˈē-gər How to pronounce eager (audio)
1
: marked by enthusiastic or impatient desire or interest
2
a
archaic : sharp
b
obsolete : sour
eagerly adverb
eagerness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

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

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 on the Web Many in the science community are eager to use it to deploy large scientific instruments and telescopes into space. Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Azerbaijan is eager to compete the link, but Armenia has been reluctant to commit to the project over concerns over who would control the tracks through its territory. Ivan Nechepurenko Sergey Ponomarev, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Beyond a pledge to maintain indefinite military control over Gaza and eventually turn over administrative duties to Palestinians, Netanyahu’s postwar strategy remains murky, leaving a vacuum, political analysts say, that the religious right is eager to fill. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Having survived the trauma of disappearing as a state, Poland is not only eager to generously spend money on the military, but also to advocate for more arms for Ukraine. Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2024 His 9-year-old sister Vivianne, 8-year-old Eric Jr., and 5-year-old Forrest, Decker says, are always eager to lend a helping hand to their new little brother. Kristina Behr, Parents, 12 Mar. 2024 With the 96th Academy Awards starting an hour earlier this year, Hollywood was eager to carry on celebrations last night. Rachel Marlowe, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 But a new set of regulations called the Digital Marketing Act, or DMA, that took effect in European Union's 27-nation bloc earlier this week cleared the way for other companies to compete against Apple's App Store — an opportunity that Epic was eager to seize upon. Michael Liedtke, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 The restaurant has been in the works for quite some time, enticing eager fans of owner Ricky Ortiz’ food, which showcases his Mexican heritage. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2024

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.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English egre, from Anglo-French egre, aigre, from Latin acer — more at edge

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of eager was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near eager

Cite this Entry

“Eager.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eager. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

eager

adjective
ea·​ger ˈē-gər How to pronounce eager (audio)
: having or showing an impatient or enthusiastic desire or interest
was eager to get going
eagerly adverb
eagerness noun
Etymology

Middle English egre "sharp, sour, keen," from early French aigre (same meaning), from Latin acer (same meaning) — related to vinegar

More from Merriam-Webster on eager

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