Definition of EAGERNESS

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

Whereas some private television channels are seen as eager mouthpieces, others face pressures that range from reprimands on the phone to threats and unfortunate incidents.

— The Economist, "The pushmi-pullyuWhat makes Pakistan so unfathomable," 22 July 2017
But tech services have introduced a revolving door of helpful strangers — not to mention eager lovers — into our worlds.

— hannah seligson, Cosmopolitan, "Your Mobile Apps Are More Dangerous Than You Think," 15 July 2017
Everyone was eager to belt out their favorite pop songs and Broadway classics below the disco balls hanging over Mary’s stage.

— amy lombard, Bon Appetit, "The drag queen burger joint that's planning world domination.," 10 July 2017
A goodly number of shoppers bring their smiling dogs, eager to be petted.

— kerry schmidt, kansascity, "Stuff I like: Gates barbecue sauce, White Castle, oldies, the Cardinals — and Royals," 30 June 2017
And of course, young Parker is eager for something noble to do with his powers and the flashy suit lent to him by Tony Stark.

— jordan hoffman, Popular Mechanics, "'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Makes Spidey Feel Fun and Fresh Again," 29 June 2017
The millennials also happen to be bright as buttons, more culturally savvy than any previous generation, and impressively eager to learn (most of them).

— daniel mendelsohn, Town & Country, "How to Raise a Proper College Student," 28 June 2017
As the youngest member of the wolfpack, Seth Clearwater was the eager pup of the group.

— maria tallarico, Cosmopolitan, "The Supporting Cast of Twilight: Where Are They Now?!," 28 June 2017
Other funny characters in the play are the neurotic Charlotte and her domination of husband Theodore, who is eager to please his wife and in-laws.

— marvin glassman, Jewish Journal, "'Goldberg Variations' finds comedy, drama in family gathering," 28 June 2017

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

See Words from the same year

eager Synonyms

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. 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