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
  • But the person most excited to play catch with his father, Ron, was Twins manager Derek Shelton, who wasn’t sure his arm would be capable after throwing Buxton batting practice Monday.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Even still, the filmmaker is excited to let Edinburgh audiences begin probing this surprisingly affecting piece on loss and extraterrestrial life.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Her relationship with her boyfriend Ben (who happens to be an avid outdoorsman) has led her to believe certain things about herself, and has shaped her inner voice.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That gift was personal, not a Ballmer Group grant, as Connie is an avid NPR listener.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of avid
Adjective
  • The response within Meta was anything but enthusiastic, however.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Ron pulls off the speech and gets an enthusiastic round of applause.
    — Barry Levitt, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of enthusiastic
Adjective
  • Unlike many residents, some, like Hawkins, were eager to learn about the project.
    — Julia Avant, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • And while plenty of colleagues and acquaintances were all too eager to speak about those topics anonymously, almost nobody wanted their names attached.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of eager
Adjective
  • Fortunately for the anxious among us, and less fortunately for those still loyal to the dying rituals of interpersonal correspondence, Cynthia has recently moved to online reservations.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Yet even the president’s die-hard supporters are becoming more anxious about the costs associated with the war.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 15 Aug. 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 17 Aug. 2026.

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