eager

[ ee-ger ]

adjective

1. 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

2. characterized by or revealing great earnestness:

   an eager look.

   Synonyms: earnest, intense, intent, fervid, zealous, fervent

   Antonyms: negligent, heedless

3. Obsolete. keen; sharp; biting.

eager

¹

/ ˈiːɡə /

adjective

1. postpositive; often foll by to or for impatiently desirous (of); anxious or avid (for)

   he was eager to see her departure

2. characterized by or feeling expectancy or great desire

   an eager look

3. archaic.
   tart or biting; sharp

eager

²

/ ˈeɪɡə /

noun

1. a variant spelling of eagre

Derived Forms

• ˈeagerly, adverb
• ˈeagerness, noun

Other Words From

• ea·ger·ly adverb
• ea·ger·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of eager¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English egre, from Anglo-French, Old French egre, aigre, from Vulgar Latin (unattested) ācrus for Latin ācer “sharp”

Word History and Origins

Origin of eager¹

C13: from Old French egre, from Latin acer sharp, keen

Synonym Study

See avid.

Example Sentences

Smith, who still carries himself with the eager enthusiasm of a worship leader, no longer goes to church.

From Los Angeles Times

But she would be eager to use federal property for temporary shelters — as some Trump administration officials proposed during his first term in office — Bass said.

From Los Angeles Times

Noting that he had been involved in the rivalry as a recruit, player and assistant coach, Foster said he was eager for his debut as a head coach.

From Los Angeles Times

It may be a construction worker with dirty boots and paint-stained hands ordering a few for lunch or an eager child who just got out of school looking for a warm snack.

From Salon

But in an inversion of what normally happens in this type of environment, the crowd seemed eager for Tyler to return to “Chromakopia.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ambitious
• greedy
• hungry
• impatient
• keen
• restless
• thirsty