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eager

eagerest; eagerer

The adjective eager describes someone is excited about or impatient for something. If you want to be a doctor one day, you might be eager to dissect a frog in biology. Your squeamish friend? Not so eager.

Eager derives from old words meaning "sharp, pungent or keen," and eager carries that sense of sharpness still. In fact, being overeager is a criticism; someone overeager is likely to make a mistake because they are moving too quickly or not thinking things through before they act.

Definitions of eager
  1. adjective
    having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
    eager to learn”
    eager to travel abroad”
    eager for success”
    eager helpers”
    “an eager look”
    synonyms: agog, keen
    anxious, dying
    eagerly desirous
    hot
    having or showing great eagerness or enthusiasm
    impatient, raring
    (usually followed by 'to') full of eagerness
    overeager
    excessively eager
    enthusiastic, keen
    having or showing great excitement and interest
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    Antonyms:
    uneager
    lacking interest or spirit or animation
    reluctant
    not eager
    show more antonyms...
  2. noun
    a high wave (often dangerous) caused by tidal flow (as by colliding tidal currents or in a narrow estuary)
    synonyms: aegir, bore, eagre, tidal bore
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    type of:
    tidal current, tidal flow
    the water current caused by the tides
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘eager'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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