eagerness

American  

[ee-ger-nis] / ˈi gər nɪs /

noun

1. in an earnest, ardent, or eager way; keenness.

   The professor’s love for the topic, and her eagerness to share it with others, comes across in every word of every lecture.

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Etymology

Origin of eagerness

eager ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Explanation

Eagerness is a characteristic of being excited and prepared to do something. Shooting your hand in the air and shouting, "Me! Me!" when your teacher asks for a volunteer is a good way to show your eagerness. A basketball team displays its eagerness by running onto the court at the start of the game, and a puppy's eagerness to lick your face and nibble your fingers is either the cutest thing about it, or one of the many reasons you don't like puppies. Eagerness and eager are both positive words, but in the thirteenth century eager meant "fierce or angry," and it shares a Latin root with the sour word acrid, or "bitter."

Example Sentences

President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spent their first day of bilateral talks on Thursday showing an eagerness to manage the economic rivalry between their countries.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Interestingly, despite her apparent eagerness to hold on to her California property, Simpson had previously expressed a desire to quit the Golden State once and for all.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

His performance is pure puppy, from the way he silently studies Ray’s silent cues to the eagerness with which he leaps up to fetch Ray a beer.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026

The eagerness of service companies to return despite past problems contrasts with the halting approach expressed by some of the largest U.S. producers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

“That’s a very pretty thing,” said Stuart, trying to hide his eagerness.

From "Stuart Little" by E.B. White

Related Words

• ambition
• ardor
• excitement
• fervor
• hunger
• impatience
• keenness
• longing
• thirst
• yearning
• zeal