eager

adjective ea·ger \ ˈē-gər \

Updated on: 8 Apr 2018

Definition of eager

1 a archaic : sharp

b obsolete : sour

2 : marked by enthusiastic or impatient desire or interest

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eagerly

adverb

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eagerness

noun

See eager defined for English-language learners

See eager defined for kids

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

State and federal regulators are eager for progress in the technology because its benefits are so tantalizing.

— greg ip, WSJ, "The Political Backlash Against Tech: Good, Bad and Ugly," 4 Apr. 2018
There might be some fans who are eager for a more dramatic change in organizational philosophy, which might or might not come a year from now.

— peter schmuck, baltimoresun.com, "Newsome ready to wear draft disappointments, but not ready to look beyond final draft as Ravens GM," 4 Apr. 2018
Despite the easy-going nature of the contest, Elliott, playing linebacker, apparently was eager for some contact.

— peter dawson, star-telegram, "Watch Ezekiel Elliott dominate at Quavo's Huncho Day flag football game | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 2 Apr. 2018
For those eager for activity and connections, there are numerous ways to get involved.

— sandra dibble, sandiegouniontribune.com, "The father of Prince Harry's future bride leads quiet ex-pat life in Baja," 1 Apr. 2018
To be sure, Congress doesn’t seem too eager to pursue these bills, and the Supreme Court has rarely overturned decisions made in such recent history.

— tara golshan, Vox, "The constitutional debate around protecting Robert Mueller’s job, explained," 29 Mar. 2018
After a career traveling internationally and supervising people in 30 countries, Casas was eager to find a way to become more involved in Miami’s community in retirement.

— shayne benowitz, miamiherald, "Discovering new passions — and who you really are — in retirement | Miami Herald," 28 Mar. 2018
All of these potential customers seem very eager to get their hands on anything that even somewhat resembles the promise of Apple’s AirPower mat.

— chaim gartenberg, The Verge, "Apple is missing the boat on AirPower, and other companies are taking advantage," 23 Mar. 2018
So, Rex Tillerson is gone, but only to be replaced by Mike Pompeo, who seems really eager for a war with Iran and who will leave the C.I.A. in even more torture-friendly hands.

— luke darby, GQ, "Rex Tillerson Finally Lost His Secretary of State Job, Weirdly After Criticizing Russia," 13 Mar. 2018

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

eager Synonyms

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.