enthusiasm

noun en·thu·si·asm \ in-ˈthü-zē-ˌa-zəm , en- also -ˈthyü- \

Definition of enthusiasm

1 a : strong excitement of feeling : ardor

did her work with energy and enthusiasm

b : something inspiring zeal or fervor

his enthusiasms include sailing and fishing

2 a : belief in special revelations of the Holy Spirit

b : religious fanaticism

See enthusiasm defined for English-language learners

See enthusiasm defined for kids

Examples of enthusiasm in a Sentence

Hour by hour, minute by minute, Guerrero is a racehorse, sitting upright in a chair, revising copy, clarifying names and places, sprinkling the reports with jokes while a producer talks in her ear—then delivering with breakneck speed and unflagging enthusiasm. —Joel Drucker, Cigar Aficionado, May/June 2003
The Gower has a bewitching effect on my children. Perhaps it is because of having been cooped up in the car for four hours, but once we are negotiating the windy road along this southern Welsh peninsula, they are all gushing with enthusiasm. —Emma Haughton, Times (London), 12 Aug. 2000
Now that he was awake, he couldn't understand how he could have slept through the racket the birds were making. "Oliver," Harry croaked. "It's the crack of dawn." "Exactly," said Wood. He was a tall and burly sixth year and, at the moment, his eyes were gleaming with a crazed enthusiasm. "It's part of our new training program. Come on, grab your broom, and let's go," said Wood heartily. —J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999
These days, even the wiliest brand-builders are at least a little anxious about the emerging teenage market, with its stylistic balkanization, shifting folkways and unpredictably spiking enthusiasms. —Hal Espen, New York Times Magazine, 21 Mar. 1999
The party supported its candidate with enthusiasm.
He seems to lack enthusiasm for the work he's doing.
Among his latest enthusiasms are sailing and fishing.

Recent Examples of enthusiasm from the Web

In spite of Marshall's enthusiasm, the legal shake down approach to resolving complex and multifaceted environmental challenges is clearly a waste of time and money.

— littice bacon-blood, NOLA.com, "LaPlace Winn-Dixie unveils new look Thursday with free food, music," 25 Oct. 2017
What other option, then, do Democrats have but to move left, exploiting the anger, energy and enthusiasm to be found there?

— leonard pitts, Alaska Dispatch News, "Democrats need to move left," 15 Oct. 2017
But is business enthusiasm at its highest level in decades, as Trump claimed?

— lucinda shen, Fortune, "President Trump Claimed Business Enthusiasm Is at its 'Highest Level in Decades.' Is It?," 5 Oct. 2017
Kamp’s story is filled with reflections from the cast and director Rian Johnson on the singular energy and warm enthusiasm Fisher brought to her Last Jedi role.

— annie leibovitz, HWD, "See the Cast of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Four Exclusive Vanity Fair Covers," 23 May 2017
To boost enthusiasm, Northam has brought in high-profile African-American surrogates, including former President Barack Obama and U.S. Sens.

— Washington Post, "Virginia, New Jersey governor’s races shaped by age of Trump," 3 Nov. 2017
That’s an odd thing to celebrate given Trump’s very public enthusiasm for torture, and Graham’s very public opposition to it.

— peter beinart, The Atlantic, "Lindsey Graham's 'Religious War'," 2 Nov. 2017
When Holden enters his life this young guy’s energy, and his enthusiasm, his passion for the work and his intelligence and his good ideas eventually make Bill kind of stop and reassess.

— emma dibdin, Esquire, "How Mindhunter Successfully Avoided All of the 'Buddy Cop' Traps," 20 Oct. 2017
Why does this remarkable surge not spur frantic enthusiasm—or for that matter deep trepidation?

— The Economist, "Asset pricesThe bubble without any fizz," 7 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'enthusiasm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What is the history of enthusiasm?

It may come as a surprise to many people, when they first look up the word enthusiasm, to see that its original meaning has to do with passion for religion, rather than passionate or eager interest in general. A brief explanation of the word’s etymology should clear this up. Enthusiasm entered the English language around the beginning of the 17th century. It was borrowed from the Greek enthousiasmos, meaning “inspiration or possession by a god.” For the first two hundred or so years that it was used in English, enthusiasm was primarily employed to refer to beliefs or passions that related to religion. By the beginning of the 18th century, however, the word began to be used to describe having strong feelings or interest in secular matters.

Origin and Etymology of enthusiasm

Greek enthousiasmos, from enthousiazein to be inspired, irregular from entheos inspired, from en- + theos god

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1603

See Words from the same year

enthusiasm Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of enthusiasm

passion, fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, zeal mean intense emotion compelling action. passion applies to an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable.

- was a slave to his passions

fervor implies a warm and steady emotion.

- read the poem aloud with great fervor

ardor suggests warm and excited feeling likely to be fitful or short-lived.

- the ardor of their honeymoon soon faded

enthusiasm applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity.

- never showed much enthusiasm for sports

zeal implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

- preaches with fanatical zeal

ENTHUSIASM Defined for English Language Learners

enthusiasm

noun

Definition of enthusiasm for English Language Learners

: strong excitement about something : a strong feeling of active interest in something that you like or enjoy
: something causing a feeling of excitement and active interest : a hobby that someone feels enthusiastic about