eager

[ ee-ger ]

/ ˈi gər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR eager 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.

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Have you mastered the meaning of phronesis? How about plethoric? Take the quiz on the words from the week of February 17 to 23 to find out.

Question 1 of 7

Lincolnesque

without interest or significance; dull; insipid.

like or characteristic of Abraham Lincoln.

very high or tall; lofty.

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Words nearby eager

eadred, eads, eadwig, eadwine, eagan, eager, eager beaver, eagle, eagle eye, eagle owl, eagle pass

Origin of eager

1250–1300; Middle English egre < Anglo-French, Old French egre, aigre < Vulgar Latin *ācrus for Latin ācer sharp

SYNONYMS FOR eager

1 enthusiastic, desirous. See avid.

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

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ANTONYMS FOR eager

1, 2 indifferent, uninterested.

2 heedless.

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OTHER WORDS FROM eager

ea·ger·ly, adverbea·ger·ness, noun

Definition for eager (2 of 3)

eager²

[ ee-ger, ey-ger ]

/ ˈi gər, ˈeɪ gər /

noun Chiefly British.

eagre.

Definition for eager (3 of 3)

eagre

or ea·ger

[ ee-ger, ey-ger ]

/ ˈi gər, ˈeɪ gər /

noun Chiefly British.

a tidal bore or flood.

Origin of eagre

1640–50; apparently representing earlier agar, ager, obscurely akin to hyger, higre; (compare Anglo-Latin (12th century) higra the tidal bore of the Severn); compared with Old English ēgor, eogor flood, high tide, though preservation of g in modern forms is problematic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for eager

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
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
Many were just eager to forget, absolve, or overlook serious accusations, simply because doing so would be hugely convenient.
It’s Not Just Cosby: Hollywood’s Long List of Male Scumbags|Asawin Suebsaeng|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

So why, you might ask, are many of our leaders so eager to build it?
The Pipeline From Hell: There’s No Good Reason to Build Keystone XL|Jack Holmes|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"A quarter of a mile further upstream there's an old wood-road," he went on, in answer to Fred's eager query.
Harper's Round Table, October 8, 1895|Various
Lily tossed the missile into the other girl's lap, for she was too eager to open her own two letters to cause any further delay.
The Girl Scouts' Good Turn|Edith Lavell
Who could resist the smiles of the chalk-faced females of Cash Street, all eager to laud his bravery.
The Crimson Gardenia and Other Tales of Adventure|Rex Beach
They sought each other with eager arms, clung together, pressing close, without further speech.
The Patriot|Antonio Fogazzaro
We knew some mischief was afoot, and they were so eager on it that we came up unnoticed.
The Free Rangers|Joseph A. Altsheler

British Dictionary definitions for eager (1 of 3)

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 3)

eager²

/ (ˈeɪɡə) /

noun

a variant spelling of eagre

British Dictionary definitions for eager (3 of 3)

eagre

eager

/ (ˈeɪɡə) /

noun

a tidal bore, esp of the Humber or Severn estuary

Word Origin for eagre

C17: perhaps from Old English ēagor flood; compare Old English ēa river, water

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

eager

adjective

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Words related to eager

Words nearby eager

Origin of eager

SYNONYMS FOR eager

ANTONYMS FOR eager

OTHER WORDS FROM eager

Definition for eager (2 of 3)

noun Chiefly British.

Definition for eager (3 of 3)

or ea·ger

noun Chiefly British.

Origin of eagre

Example sentences from the Web for eager

British Dictionary definitions for eager (1 of 3)

adjective

Derived forms of eager

Word Origin for eager

British Dictionary definitions for eager (2 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for eager (3 of 3)

eager

noun

Word Origin for eagre