EAGERNESS Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

eagerness

noun

Definition of eagerness

as in enthusiasm

urgent desire or interest students with an eagerness to learn

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of eagerness Approaching life with positive expectations, a get-up-and-go attitude, and eagerness is related to many good things in life. — Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026 Young wing players including Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr have also impressed coaches and teammates with their athleticism and eagerness to learn. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 In addition to SpaceX’s own eagerness to begin launching the Starlink V3 megaconstellation, NASA has also contracted the vehicle as a lunar lander for the Artemis program. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 23 Sep. 2026 But to some who oppose his overhaul, the center’s loud publicization of the problem underscores the board’s eagerness—perhaps overeagerness—to shut down the building. — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2026 In a true reimagining of King’s first full-length novel of 1974, this Carrie White enters public school for the first time, full of optimism and eagerness to experience the world. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026 Claxton needs to revive his value and make sense of the Bulls’ eagerness to acquire him this summer. — Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Admired for his seriousness and for his eagerness to learn, as well as for his movie-star face and sturdy body, de Kooning was a looker in a city full of lookers. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 All of it reminded me that things have changed, and the first-day-of-school excitement and eagerness are just another thing that has come and gone. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 4 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for eagerness

Noun

Zelensky does not appear to be in a rush to hold elections and the public has shown little enthusiasm for heading to the polls as bombs fly overhead.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
The strongman is failing, even as the opposition struggles to inspire a great deal of conviction and enthusiasm.

— Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of enthusiasm

Noun

Lulingu, a Grauer’s gorilla who was reintroduced to Virunga National Park in eastern Congo, is raising a baby after a successful birth, bringing excitement for the conservationists working there.

— Elodie Toto, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Michael Platt, a professor of marketing, psychology and neuroscience at the Wharton School, says the answer may lie in how the brain responds to risk, excitement and the promise of a big win.

— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of excitement

Browse Nearby Words

eagerly

eagerness

eagle-eyed

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“Eagerness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eagerness. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of eagerness

noun

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