eagerly

eagerly — adverb

1. done with strong desire or enthusiasm to do, get, or experience something

1.adverbB2
Definition

done with strong desire or enthusiasm to do, get, or experience something

Example

The children eagerly tore open their birthday presents on Saturday morning.

modifies verbs of enthusiastic action: eagerly + tore open / unwrapped

When Professor Chen announced the research project, several students eagerly signed up.

collocation: eagerly + sign up / volunteer / apply

Common collocations
  • eagerly awaited
  • eagerly accepted
  • eagerly volunteered
  • eagerly signed up
  • eagerly waited for
  • eagerly looked forward to
  • eagerly anticipated
Synonyms
  • enthusiastically

    warmer and more visibly excited, often involving outward expression

  • keenly

    more common in British English; adds a sense of sharp, alert interest

  • avidly

    stronger and more formal; suggests an intense, almost consuming desire

  • readily

    focuses on willingness without hesitation rather than emotional excitement

Antonyms
  • reluctantly

    doing something with hesitation or unwillingness, the opposite of eager willingness

  • apathetically

    doing something without interest or emotion, the opposite of eager enthusiasm

Usage Note

Typically placed immediately before the main verb in declarative sentences. Most commonly used with verbs of anticipation, participation, and consumption — the adverb adds a strong positive emotional colour to the action.

Common Mistakes

She anxiously waited for the good news about the scholarship.' (when feeling excited, not worried).
She eagerly waited for the good news about the scholarship.
'anxiously' implies fear or worry; 'eagerly' implies happy anticipation.

Word family

  • eager
    adjectiveB1
  • eagerness
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Eagerly, enthusiastically, keenly, avidly, and readily all describe doing something with interest or willingness, but they differ in intensity and connotation. Eagerly conveys a strong, positive desire to begin or receive something — the person is truly looking forward to it. Enthusiastically suggests a warmer, more expressive excitement, often visible in body language or cheering. Keenly, more common in British English, implies sharp mental alertness and focused interest. Avidly is stronger and more formal, suggesting an intense, almost consuming hunger for something. Readily focuses on willingness without hesitation rather than emotional excitement. For example, a student might eagerly sign up for a field trip (strong desire), enthusiastically cheer the announcement (visible excitement), keenly observe the experiment (alert interest), avidly read every science book (intense hunger), and readily help a classmate who asks (willing cooperation).

enthusiastically ↗keenly ↗avidly ↗readily ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • quite eagerly
  • most eagerly
  • less eagerly

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the adjective 'eager', which entered English through Old French 'aigre' meaning 'keen, sharp, fierce'. That French word came from Latin 'acer', meaning 'sharp, keen, severe'. The original idea was of mental sharpness — being 'eager' meant having a keen appetite or desire, as if the mind were sharpened. The adverb form 'eagerly' has been used since the 14th century to describe doing something with this sharp, intense desire.