eager

eager — adjective

1. feeling a strong and excited wish to do something you look forward to, or to get

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

feeling a strong and excited wish to do something you look forward to, or to get something you believe will be enjoyable

Example

The children were eager to open their presents on Christmas morning.

Anya felt eager to start her new job at the local hospital.

eager + to-infinitive for something looked forward to

Common collocations
  • eager to + infinitive
  • eager for + noun phrase
  • eager + noun (attributive: eager look, eager crowd, eager student)
Synonyms
  • enthusiastic

    More about outward energy and visible enjoyment; eager can be a quieter, more internal feeling

  • keen

    Very similar, but commoner in British English; keen can also carry a sense of sharp mental focus

  • avid

    Much stronger, suggesting an intense, almost consuming passion, usually for a specific hobby or interest

Antonyms
  • reluctant

    Unwilling or hesitant — opposite of the strong desire eager expresses

  • apathetic

    Showing no interest or concern — the opposite of keen enthusiasm

Grammar Patterns

be eager to do something

be eager for something

Usage Note

Frequently followed by a to-infinitive (eager to do something) or by for + noun phrase (eager for a chance). Can also be used attributively before a noun (an eager student). Avoid using a gerund after eager — the pattern is eager + to-infinitive, not eager + -ing.

Common Mistakes

I was eager meeting my old friends again.
I was eager to meet my old friends again.
eager requires a to-infinitive, not a gerund.
She is eager about starting the course.
She is eager to start the course.
Use the to-infinitive for actions; for + noun is for things (eager for the chance).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Eager, enthusiastic, keen, and avid all describe a strong positive interest in something, but with different shades. Eager suggests an impatient desire to begin or receive something you are excited about — the children were eager to open their presents. Enthusiastic emphasizes outward energy and active enjoyment — an enthusiastic supporter who cheers at every game. Keen is common in British English and very close to eager, but slightly more about sharp mental interest — a keen observer of human behaviour. Avid is the strongest of the four, suggesting an intense, almost consuming passion for a particular activity — an avid collector of vintage guitars. Choose eager for a fresh, forward-looking excitement; enthusiastic for visible, energetic involvement; keen for thoughtful, focused interest; and avid for deep, long-standing dedication.

eager ↗enthusiastic ↗keen ↗avid ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • eager beaver

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Eager entered Middle English from Old French 'aigre,' meaning 'sharp' or 'keen,' which came from Latin 'acer,' meaning 'sharp, fierce, eager.' The original Latin root carried both the idea of physical sharpness (a sharp blade) and mental keenness (a sharp mind). The modern sense of 'strongly wanting to do something' evolved from the metaphor of having a 'sharp' or 'keen' desire. The related archaic senses of 'sharp' and 'sour' — from the same Old French root — are no longer part of modern English usage.