eagerness

American

[ee-ger-nis] / ˈi gər nɪs /

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of eagerness

eager ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Explanation

Eagerness is a characteristic of being excited and prepared to do something. Shooting your hand in the air and shouting, "Me! Me!" when your teacher asks for a volunteer is a good way to show your eagerness. A basketball team displays its eagerness by running onto the court at the start of the game, and a puppy's eagerness to lick your face and nibble your fingers is either the cutest thing about it, or one of the many reasons you don't like puppies. Eagerness and eager are both positive words, but in the thirteenth century eager meant "fierce or angry," and it shares a Latin root with the sour word acrid, or "bitter."

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Vocabulary lists containing eagerness

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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.

Interestingly, despite her apparent eagerness to hold on to her California property, Simpson had previously expressed a desire to quit the Golden State once and for all.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Numerous studies have found that in its eagerness to agree with the user, the model validated unhealthy or dangerous behaviour, and even led people to delusional thinking.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

His performance is pure puppy, from the way he silently studies Ray’s silent cues to the eagerness with which he leaps up to fetch Ray a beer.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026

Designers said they are tapping into people’s eagerness to get off their phones and create memorable in-person experiences, along with concern about the high cost of traditional theme-park vacations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025

But Mrs. Kleermaker had jumped to her feet with pathetic eagerness and was already stacking plates and cups.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023