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
Related Words
See avid.
Other Word Forms
- eagerly adverb
- eagerness noun
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:
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.
Catch up: The post-apocalyptic drama “Paradise” just ended its second season with another wild twist that should leave viewers eager for the third and final season next year.
From MarketWatch
Maggie tried not to appear too eager, but she took a big drink.
From Literature
I have seen it myself: their hazy ghost bodies slithering into the glowing blue, eager to coil up and rest, untouched and unbothered for eternity.
From Literature
Testing is relatively simple, and many patients are eager to find an explanation for why their blood pressure remains difficult to control.
From Science Daily
While Arbeloa might be familiar with the Castilla players, he admits injuries have limited his exposure to some first-team players, but he is eager to continue building relationships across the squad.
From BBC
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.
