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
• averse
• halfhearted
• lackadaisical
• languorous
• disinclined
• spiritless

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

All wars eventually end, and after months of rising energy prices, the world is especially eager for this one to stop. — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026

Generally speaking, Academy members have not been too eager to award the Oscar to the nominee who wants it the most. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 29 Sep. 2026

Noe was eager to nerd out about songwriting and records, peppering the conversation with praise for everyone from the Ohio indie band Wussy to the country singer Ashley McBryde. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026

Yet being eager to lead is not the same as being ready to lead. — Harvard Business Review, 28 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing eager

• eager beaver