adj

eager

EE-guh

adj

Keen and enthusiastic to do or have something.

"The new recruits were eager to prove themselves."

"She was eager for news from home."

In computing, evaluating an expression immediately rather than deferring it until needed.

"The compiler uses eager evaluation, so the function runs as soon as it's called."

How to Use Eager

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWanting to do something very much, often shown through visible enthusiasm.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "anxious" — eager implies excited anticipation, while anxious implies worry.

Easily confused with

anxious →

Common pairings

eager to please eager beaver eager anticipation

more eager comparative, eagerer comparative, eagered past tense, Eagers plural, eagers singular, most eager superlative, eagerest superlative

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The new recruits were _____ to prove themselves.

From Old French aigre ("sharp, keen"), from Latin acer — the same root behind "acid" and "acerbic".

keen solicitous raring alacritous athirst fain

averse disinclined reluctant unwilling

meticulous slow distinct intelligent quick keen active reluctant

pager wager lager rager meager Prager Yeager Trager voyager manager dowager teenager

keen solicitous raring alacritous athirst fain averse disinclined reluctant unwilling meticulous slow