Synonyms of eager

eager

adjective

ˈē-gər 

as in excited

showing urgent desire or interest

Tom was eager to try out his new pair of skis

Synonyms & Similar Words

• excited
• enthusiastic
• avid
• anxious
• keen
• hungry
• ardent
• impatient
• desirous
• pumped
• happy
• enthused
• ready
• interested
• thirsty
• willing
• voracious
• solicitous
• greedy
• antsy
• stoked
• agog
• nuts
• great
• raring
• gung ho
• geeked
• juiced
• crazy
• wild
• engaged
• chomping at the bit
• athirst
• hot
• hepped up
• hopped-up
• champing at the bit
• bonkers
• longing
• gaga
• obsessed
• ambitious
• glad
• restless
• covetous
• craving
• pining
• inclined
• breathless
• restive
• amenable
• hankering
• disposed
• appetent
• game
• hung up
• unreluctant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indifferent
• apathetic
• unenthusiastic
• uninterested
• casual
• unconcerned
• disinterested
• nonchalant
• incurious
• reluctant
• aloof
• detached
• unwilling
• insouciant
• hesitant
• uneager
• impassive
• stolid
• loath
• lukewarm
• languid
• halfhearted
• averse
• lackadaisical
• languorous
• disinclined
• spiritless
• loth
• loathe

Synonym Chooser

How is the word eager distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of eager are anxious, athirst, avid, and keen. While all these words 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

When might anxious be a better fit than eager?

The words anxious and eager can be used in similar contexts, but anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

When can athirst be used instead of eager?

The synonyms athirst and eager are sometimes interchangeable, but athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

How are the words avid and eager related?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

Where would keen be a reasonable alternative to eager?

While in some cases nearly identical to eager, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of eager

Despite the nerves, many residents are eager for the economic boost a new nuclear plant could bring to the region. —Miranda Dunlap, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025

The filmmaker is eager to find European partners in Tallinn for his six-part drama thriller. —Annika Pham, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025

For Shackleton, who was probably eager to embark to Antarctica before war broke out, the chance to buy Polaris was too good to pass up. —Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025

One industry trend Payne is eager to wave farewell to? —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025

Phrases Containing eager

• eager beaver