- a variation of eagre.
eager
Americanadjective
-
keen or ardent in desire or feeling; impatiently longing.
I am eager for news about them. He is eager to sing.
- Synonyms:
- interested, desirous, enthusiastic
- Antonyms:
- uninterested, indifferent, apathetic
-
characterized by or revealing great earnestness.
an eager look.
-
Obsolete. keen; sharp; biting.
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 desire
an eager look
-
archaic tart or biting; sharp
noun
Synonym Usage
See avid.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
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”
Compare meaning
How does eager compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
The adjective eager describes someone is excited about or impatient for something. If you want to be a doctor one day, you might be eager to dissect a frog in biology. Your squeamish friend? Not so eager. Eager derives from old words meaning "sharp, pungent or keen," and eager carries that sense of sharpness still. In fact, being overeager is a criticism; someone overeager is likely to make a mistake because they are moving too quickly or not thinking things through before they act.
Vocabulary lists containing eager
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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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.
GM has been more eager to branch off into defense work, while Ford has pared down its small-car lineup to double down on its most profitable “iconic” vehicles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
He remembered being an anxious child who was "always keen to please" and eager to avoid conflict - traits he still recognises in himself today.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
But she warned: "Even with lower spending on gas in July, consumers weren't eager to spend elsewhere."
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
If there is sufficient demand from eager buyers looking to purchase, they may move quickly to grab those properties at asking price, which will then mean that prices won’t drop as much.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
I think about how eager Parker was all day, hoping I’d come through for him so he could talk to Jillian about things not pertaining to a food order.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
