enthuse

American

[en-thooz] / ɛnˈθuz /

verb (used without object)

enthused, enthusing

to be or become enthusiastic; show enthusiasm.

All the neighbors enthused over the new baby.

verb (used with object)

enthused, enthusing

to cause to become enthusiastic.

enthuse British

/ ɪnˈθjuːz /

verb

to feel or show or cause to feel or show enthusiasm

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

The verb enthuse is a 19th-century back formation from the noun enthusiasm. Originally an Americanism, enthuse is now standard and well established in the speech and all but the most formal writing of educated persons, in both Britain and the United States. It is used as a transitive verb meaning “to cause to become enthusiastic” ( The liveliness of the dance enthused the audience ) and as an intransitive verb meaning “to show enthusiasm” ( She enthused warmly over his performance ). Despite its long history and frequent occurrence, however, enthuse is still strongly disapproved of by many.

Other Word Forms

quasi-enthused adjective
unenthused adjective

Etymology

Origin of enthuse

1820–30, back formation from enthusiasm

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