enthusiastic
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- antienthusiastic adjective
- enthusiastically adverb
- hyperenthusiastic adjective
- nonenthusiastic adjective
- overenthusiastic adjective
- pseudoenthusiastic adjective
- quasi-enthusiastic adjective
- unenthusiastic adjective
Etymology
Origin of enthusiastic
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Greek enthousiastikós; see enthusiast ( def. ), -ic ( def. )
Explanation
Enthusiastic appreciation for something is more than just liking it — it's loving it. You're an enthusiastic fan of Italian food if you not only like it, you can't live without it. Enthusiastic's Greek origins paint a vivid picture of how an enthusiastic person got that way, as the word literally means "possessed by a god." You may recognize the "god" part of the word — theos, as in theology — "the study of God." If you're enthusiastic about working on your vocabulary words, you don't have to be reminded to do it — you can't wait.
Vocabulary lists containing enthusiastic
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
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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.
In the case of “Pretty Ugly,” there are some top-tier folks, and they are all enthusiastic without prompting.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
The US president has remained an enthusiastic fan of the monarchy and in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, he praised King Charles: "He's really a fantastic person and a tremendous representative."
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
The tycoon cites an email from Altman in 2017 claiming that he remained "enthusiastic about the non-profit structure" of their AI venture after Musk threatened to cut off funding for the lab.
From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026
Boomers and Gen Xers are less enthusiastic about business trips, perhaps because they already did their time on the road, have elderly parents to care for, or are aging themselves.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
“We know there are lots of enthusiastic Morpho fans here. But stealing is wrong.”
From "A Monster of a Mystery (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #5)" by Franklin W. Dixon
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.
