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

Sherman, a legendary figure in bouldering with ties to Boulder dating back to the 1970s, drew a large hometown audience eager to watch his journey unfold on screen. —Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026

Taxpayers are hurtling toward a filing deadline on Wednesday, but opportunity still beckons for filers eager to avoid a penalty for submitting late. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026

Others feel eager, flattering or strangely cold. —Tamilla Triantoro, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026

And these creators are eager to let their prep work pay off to meet that demand. —Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026

Phrases Containing eager

• eager beaver