enthusiasm
Americannoun
-
absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest.
He shows marked enthusiasm for his studies.
- Antonyms:
- indifference
-
an occupation, activity, or pursuit in which such interest is shown.
Hunting is his latest enthusiasm.
-
any of various forms of extreme religious devotion, usually associated with intense emotionalism and a break with orthodoxy.
noun
-
ardent and lively interest or eagerness
-
an object of keen interest; passion
-
archaic extravagant or unbalanced religious fervour
-
obsolete possession or inspiration by a god
Other Word Forms
- antienthusiasm noun
- hyperenthusiasm noun
- overenthusiasm noun
- preenthusiasm noun
- unenthusiasm noun
Etymology
Origin of enthusiasm
First recorded in 1570–80; from Late Latin enthūsiasmus, from Greek enthousiasmós, from enthousí(a) “possession by a god” ( énthous, variant of éntheos “having a god within,” from en- en- 2 + -thous, -theos “possessed by a god” + -ia -y 3 ( def. ) ) + -asmos, variant (after vowel stems) of -ismos -ism; theism ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Neo was met with widespread enthusiasm and is expected to compete fiercely with Windows laptops and Chromebooks.
From MarketWatch
Other startups have shared in Silicon Valley’s enthusiasm for OpenClaw and independent AI bots, but only up to a certain point.
The company has continued signing deals to power AI data centers, but the cadence of the deals has been too slow to generate enthusiasm.
From Barron's
One would expect boundless enthusiasm on management’s part after a day like that, but CEO Christian Weedbrook is maintaining a “business as usual” approach as he focuses on the company’s long-term goals.
From Barron's
Consumer spending, two-thirds of US GDP, is pressured by falling real wages; AI enthusiasm also appears shaky.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
