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gung ho

adjective

ˈgəŋ-ˈhō How to pronounce gung ho (audio)
Definition of gung honext
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest he was gung ho about his accounting class

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gung ho And even in early adopter states, where lawmakers are gung ho about innovative climate and energy policies, vehicle-to-grid tech is still in its early stages. — Aarian Marshall, Wired News, 9 June 2026 The studio was really gung ho about the film—top movie star, top TV star. — Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 June 2024 This place has been a coaching graveyard, but Canales is gung ho about his new job anyway. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Feb. 2024 Other researchers are less gung ho about such heady prospects. — Daniel Garisto, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2023 There are merely people who are gung ho about it, and people who would prefer for various reasons to soft-pedal it. — Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 2 June 2023 Even financial firms, perhaps the most gung ho about return-to-office policies, have mostly caved, resigning themselves to a hybrid future that has, in many cases, stalled out at two-day-a-week callbacks. — Curbed, 15 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gung ho
  1. excited
  2. avid
  3. enthusiastic
  4. eager
  5. anxious
Adjective
  • Wall Street isn’t particularly excited about CagriSema, whose previous late-stage clinical trials disappointed investors because the drug showed weight loss efficacy below expectations.
    — Annika Kim Constantino,Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Winters said his mission is still driven in large part by getting kids excited about playing a violin or cello.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Deutsch, an avid gardener, worked with Manscapers on the landscape design and opted for boxwoods, more evergreens and hydrangeas to frame each space of the outdoor area.
    — Matt Goulet, Architectural Digest, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Based in Malibu and described as an avid surfer and skater, Gerber had opened up about his mental health struggles and drug use in recent years.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of avid
Adjective
  • With such a formidable roster, Team USA should provide enough star power to fill the arena during weigh-ins, Forte said, adding that large, enthusiastic crowds will impress the IOC.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 27 Sep. 2026
  • China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has been enthusiastic about AI advances, but his speech at the 2026 World AI Conference in Shanghai urgently expressed the need for strong AI regulations and oversight.
    — Stephen Collins, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of enthusiastic
Adjective
  • The prompt makes the room tense, eager, mutually supportive and quietly competitive.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • All in attendance—whether new to the brand or eager to discover something—simply wanted a conversational experience to demystify the scientific aspect that backs the brand’s formulas.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of eager
Adjective
  • Many of Martin’s clients come in feeling anxious about making the leap, unsure whether the look will suit them.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Forrest says he was pushed into thinking about climate change in the 2010s by his daughter Sophia, who was anxious about the planet’s future.
    — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxious

Browse Nearby Words

gun (for)
gung ho
gunk
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gung ho.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gung%20ho. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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