enthusiast

noun

en·​thu·​si·​ast in-ˈthü-zē-ˌast How to pronounce enthusiast (audio)
-əst
en-
also -ˈthyü-
Synonyms of enthusiastnext
: a person filled with enthusiasm: such as
a
: one who is ardently attached to a cause, object, or pursuit
a sports car enthusiast
b
: one who tends to become ardently absorbed in an interest

Examples of enthusiast in a Sentence

skiing enthusiasts can't wait for the first snowfall of the season
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For the first match of the global tournament featuring Mexico and South Africa on Thursday afternoon, Kansas City soccer enthusiasts gathered at the FIFA Fan Festival at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, as well as in the Power & Light District and in Kansas City, Kansas. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026 Calling all gyro enthusiasts and spanakopita devotees! Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026 While some light-duty drill presses are better suited for the home DIY enthusiast, others are made of sturdy materials and pack lots of power for punching through wood, ceramic, metal and concrete. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 12 June 2026 Certainly, some space enthusiasts did. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for enthusiast

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "person claiming to receive divine communication or inspiration, member of a putative early Christian sect making such claims," borrowed from Late Greek enthousiastḗs, going back to Greek, "person possessed by a god," from enthousiad-, stem of enthousiázein "to be inspired or possessed by a god" + -tēs, agent suffix — more at enthusiasm

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enthusiast was in 1748

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enthusiast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enthusiast. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

enthusiast

noun
en·​thu·​si·​ast in-ˈth(y)ü-zē-ˌast How to pronounce enthusiast (audio)
-əst
: a person filled with enthusiasm

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