eagerness

[ ee-ger-nis ]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of eagerness¹

eager ( def ) + -ness ( def )

Example Sentences

“I had that same eagerness she has, of wanting to be independent, make new friends and find your place in the world.”

From Los Angeles Times

There is an obvious eagerness for the government to get on with the conversation about how to fix the system that cares for the most vulnerable adults in the long term.

From BBC

Like the French elites in World War II, they have become Quislings, establishing a tone of sycophancy and eagerness to please that unmistakably telegraphs that the rest of us are on our own.

From Salon

Wearing a loose-fitting leather jacket and a black miniskirt, she walks over with eagerness in her stride.

From Los Angeles Times

But, as the Kavanaugh example shows, it's also shown by Trump's eagerness to surround himself with his fellow abusers and protect them from facing any accountability.

From Salon

Related Words

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