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. See eagre
   a variant spelling of eagre

Derived Forms

• ˈeagerness, noun
• ˈeagerly, adverb

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

Still, many PE instructors said they’re eager to return to the gym and sports fields.

From Washington Post

Whether you're eager for a half-hour session or a weekend-long binge, interested in a platformer or a twin-stick shooter, or playing on PC, Switch, Xbox, or PlayStation, our selection should have something worth your time.

From Ars Technica

Yet the rise of these agencies suggests that brands are finally eager to break into platforms like Twitch and into virtual, in-game universes in games like Fortnite.

From Digiday

He’s fine with it becoming something that can bring big profits to the companies eager to mine these data.

From Science News For Students

As a child, Wells read the newspaper to her father and his friends who were eager to vote and take advantage of opportunities as full citizens.

From Washington Post

This is the Mexico that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and most major U.S. corporations, are eager to call amigo.

From The Daily Beast

A woman in a smart uniform scribbles out tickets for a growing line of tourists eager to take a trip on the old-fashioned train.

From The Daily Beast

In August 1984, I arrived at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, eager to jump into college life.

From The Daily Beast

In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, most of us are eager to return home for the holiday.

From The Daily Beast

Why the government is so vehemently eager to delist the grizzly remains a troublesome question.

From The Daily Beast

The rebellion spread to their district, and many of the natives on and about the estate were eager to join in the movement.

From Project Gutenberg

Sam sat opposite him in perfect silence, waiting, with eager curiosity, for the termination of the scene.

From Project Gutenberg

The morning came and with it Shaffer, and with him five hundred and fifty men, eager for the combat.

From Project Gutenberg

Taken for guerrillas, every Southern sympathizer was eager to give them all the information possible.

From Project Gutenberg

Among others, an Abb thrice lifted his fork to his mouth, and thrice laid it down, with an eager stare of surprise.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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