gung-ho
adjective
wholeheartedly enthusiastic and loyal; eager; zealous.
gung-ho
American
[guhng-hoh]
/ ˈgʌŋˈhoʊ /
adjective
adverb
gung ho
British
/ ɡʌŋ həʊ /
adjective
-
extremely enthusiastic and enterprising, sometimes to excess
-
extremely keen to participate in military combat
gung-ho
Cultural
gung ho
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of gung-ho
Introduced as a training slogan in 1942 by U.S. Marine officer Evans F. Carlson (1896–1947), from Chinese gōng hé, the abbreviated name of the Chinese Industrial Cooperative Society, taken by a literal translation as “work together”
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.
See Examples For:
He’s gung-ho about continuing to try to win, again, including next year, subject to whatever next year’s climate looks like.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
Not all of the younger generation of Robleses is as gung-ho about the family business as their parents are.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
Nancy had precious little time on the training ground with his players, but he still made gung-ho changes against Hearts when a steadier approach might have been wise.
From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2025
McSweeney struggled in the home series against India's Jasprit Bumrah-led attack, with gung-ho teenager Konstas then thrust into the limelight in spectacular fashion.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2025
It was weird how responsible he felt for the other two: plaintive, pitiful, confused Chip; naïve, gung-ho, enthusiastic Katherine.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Not all of the younger generation of Robleses is as gung ho about the family business as their parents are.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
Other researchers are less gung ho about such heady prospects.
From Scientific American ● Aug. 10, 2023
He said the ranks include people who are gung ho and supremely fit, but also more ordinary people.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 14, 2023
“Consistent with my own push for statehood, of course I was gung ho about giving this authority back to the District,” she said.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 31, 2021
I didn’t feel really gung ho or anything, but I was ready to do my part.
From "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
