Synonyms for eager
- adjective
- noun
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Enthusiastic — desirous; keen to do or obtain something
enthusiastic, anxious, keen, zealous, voracious, excited, hot, raring, fervent, avid, hungry, strenuous, desirous, ardent, earnest, quick, hearty, solicitous, thirsty, strong, enterprising, longing
Other
breathless, bursting, guzzly, alacritous rare
Noun
1. Bore
bore, tidal bore, aegir, eagre
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Desirous; keen to do or obtain something.
The hounds were eager in the chase.
Related words
- Word family
- eagerly eagerness
- Phrases
- eager beaver
Forms
- Plural
- eagers → bores, aegirs, eagres, in-patients…
Choose the right word
One is eager for the gratification of any appetite or passion; he is earnest in conviction, purpose, or character.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- anxious I'm anxious to know the results of the blood test.
- enthusiastic He always stands off when people are enthusiastic.
- zealous The only thing worse than an idiot is a zealous idiot.
- voracious Piranhas are big, voracious fish with sharp teeth.
- bursting I'm bursting for a wee and I can't find a washroom.
- breathless He was watching the scene with breathless interest.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| eager | rising | |
| anxious | steady | |
| enthusiastic | steady | |
| zealous | steady | |
| voracious | rising | |
| bursting | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- hot1
- 4 letters
- keen1, bore1, avid2
- 5 letters
- quick1, aegir, eagre
- 6 letters
- strong1, hungry2, hearty2, ardent2, raring, guzzly
- 7 letters
- excited3, anxious2, earnest2, thirsty2, longing2, zealous2, fervent2
- 8 letters
- bursting2, desirous3
- 9 letters
- strenuous3, voracious3
- 10 letters
- breathless2, solicitous4, alacritous
- 12 letters
- enthusiastic5, enterprising4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (avid2 = 2 syllables).