eager

[ ee-ger ]

/ ˈi gər /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: eager / eagerly / eagerness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

keen or ardent in desire or feeling; impatiently longing: I am eager for news about them. He is eager to sing.

characterized by or revealing great earnestness: an eager look.

Obsolete. keen; sharp; biting.

COMPARE MEANINGS

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.

OTHER WORDS FOR eager

1 enthusiastic, desirous; interested.

2 fervent, zealous, fervid, intent, intense, earnest.

See synonyms for eager on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR eager

1 apathetic, indifferent, uninterested.

2 heedless, negligent.

See antonyms for eager on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of eager

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English egre, from Anglo-French, Old French egre, aigre, from Vulgar Latin (unattested) ācrus for Latin ācer “sharp”

synonym study for eager

1. See avid.

OTHER WORDS FROM eager

ea·ger·ly, adverbea·ger·ness, noun

Words nearby eager

Eadred, Eads, Eadwig, -eae, Eagan, eager, eager beaver, eagerly, eagerness, eagle, eagle eye

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use eager in a sentence

Still, many PE instructors said they’re eager to return to the gym and sports fields.
Kids are shooting hoops with rolled up socks, but pandemic physical education is not canceled|Kelly Field|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Whether you're eager for a half-hour session or a weekend-long binge, interested in a platformer or a twin-stick shooter, or playing on PC, Switch, Xbox, or PlayStation, our selection should have something worth your time.
The games of love: our favorite couch co-op games to play with a partner|Jeff Dunn|February 12, 2021|Ars Technica
Yet the rise of these agencies suggests that brands are finally eager to break into platforms like Twitch and into virtual, in-game universes in games like Fortnite.
Why new agencies are trying to capitalize on the online gaming boom|jim cooper|February 12, 2021|Digiday
He’s fine with it becoming something that can bring big profits to the companies eager to mine these data.
New technology can get inside your head. Are you ready?|Laura Sanders|February 11, 2021|Science News For Students

As a child, Wells read the newspaper to her father and his friends who were eager to vote and take advantage of opportunities as full citizens.
My great-grandmother Ida B. Wells left a legacy of activism in education. We need that now.|Michelle Duster|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
This is the Mexico that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and most major U.S. corporations, are eager to call amigo.
Why Mexicans Are Enraged by Obama’s Big Tuesday Meeting|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A woman in a smart uniform scribbles out tickets for a growing line of tourists eager to take a trip on the old-fashioned train.
Riding Thailand’s WWII Death Railway|Liza Foreman|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In August 1984, I arrived at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, eager to jump into college life.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, most of us are eager to return home for the holiday.
How to Make It Through Thanksgiving Alive|Lizzie Crocker|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Why the government is so vehemently eager to delist the grizzly remains a troublesome question.
What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear|Doug Peacock|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The rebellion spread to their district, and many of the natives on and about the estate were eager to join in the movement.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Sam sat opposite him in perfect silence, waiting, with eager curiosity, for the termination of the scene.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, v. 2(of 2)|Charles Dickens
The morning came and with it Shaffer, and with him five hundred and fifty men, eager for the combat.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Taken for guerrillas, every Southern sympathizer was eager to give them all the information possible.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Among others, an Abb thrice lifted his fork to his mouth, and thrice laid it down, with an eager stare of surprise.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various

British Dictionary definitions for eager (1 of 2)

eager¹

/ (ˈiːɡə) /

adjective

(postpositive; often foll by to or for) impatiently desirous (of); anxious or avid (for)he was eager to see her departure

characterized by or feeling expectancy or great desirean eager look

archaic tart or biting; sharp

Derived forms of eager

eagerly, adverbeagerness, noun

Word Origin for eager

C13: from Old French egre, from Latin acer sharp, keen

British Dictionary definitions for eager (2 of 2)

eager²

/ (ˈeɪɡə) /

noun

a variant spelling of eagre

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012