eager

adjective

ea·​ger ˈē-gər How to pronounce eager (audio)
1
: marked by enthusiastic or impatient desire or interest
2
a
archaic : sharp
b
obsolete : sour
eagerly adverb
eagerness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for eager

eager, avid, keen, anxious, athirst 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

avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

Examples of eager in a Sentence

… wine connoisseurs eager to visit cellars and late-fall pilgrims seeking the increasingly rare white truffle … Corby Kummer, Atlantic, August 2000
… so many religions were steeped in an absolutist frame of mind—each convinced that it alone had a monopoly on the truth and therefore eager for the state to impose this truth on others. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996
She was eager to get started. The crowd was eager for more.
Recent Examples on the Web Republicans and Democrats have been eager to circumvent the organization their own parties set in motion in 1987, after several elections in which the debates were put together by the League of Women Voters. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 Sep. 2024 From First Team To Dream Team A leader's team in the early stages of their career is typically composed of individuals who are readily available, affordable and eager to take on the challenge of building something from the ground up. Pandwe Gibson, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024 In the meantime, ownership groups including one led by Las Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley are eager to be involved if the league does greenlight at a team in Sin City. Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 10 Sep. 2024 The city commission meetings, which are archived on YouTube, have been a steady source of content for right-wing commentators eager to prove that American citizens are suffering due to the supposedly open border. Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for eager 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eager.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English egre, from Anglo-French egre, aigre, from Latin acer — more at edge

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of eager was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near eager

Cite this Entry

“Eager.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eager. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

eager

adjective
ea·​ger ˈē-gər How to pronounce eager (audio)
: having or showing an impatient or enthusiastic desire or interest
was eager to get going
eagerly adverb
eagerness noun
Etymology

Middle English egre "sharp, sour, keen," from early French aigre (same meaning), from Latin acer (same meaning) — related to vinegar

More from Merriam-Webster on eager

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