Word
eager
Phoneticsea·ger, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈiɡɝ/
UK/ˈiːɡɐ/
Definitions
01keen or excited
B1 · Intermediate
adj. wanting to do or have something very much.
adj. strongly wanting to do or have something; characterized by keen interest or impatient desire.
日本語:熱心な※
“The students were eager to start their summer holidays after the final exam.”
“The young interns were eager to impress their supervisors, often staying late to ensure every detail of the report was perfect.”
Usage
Commonly followed by an infinitive ('eager to help') or the preposition 'for' ('eager for news').
Pitfall
He is eager of starting the project.
He is eager to start the project.
Use 'eager to' followed by a verb, or 'eager for' followed by a noun.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02computing
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
adj. in computer science, doing a task immediately instead of waiting until it is needed.
adj. describing an evaluation strategy that performs a calculation as soon as an expression is bound to a variable.
“The program uses eager evaluation to process the data as soon as it arrives.”
“By employing eager loading, the application fetches all related records in a single query to minimize subsequent database hits.”
Usage
Usually used as a technical contrast to 'lazy evaluation'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03sharp or sour
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
adj. having a sharp, sour, or bitter taste or feeling.
adj. possessing a sharp, acid, or pungent quality; can also refer to biting cold or severe temperament.
“The eager air of the winter morning made his skin sting.”
“Hamlet described the midnight air as a nipping and an eager air, emphasizing the biting cold of the Danish night.”
Teaching tip
This sense is rarely found in modern speech but appears in Shakespeare and other classic literature.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “eager” in context.
Verb
01. appear eager
“He did not want to appear too eager, so he waited two days before replying to the offer.”
verb + adj
02. remain eager
“Despite the setbacks, the team remained eager to complete the project on schedule.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. eager to learn
“We are looking for candidates who are curious and eager to learn new technologies.”
adj + infinitive
04. eager for news
“The families waited at the port, eager for news of the missing vessel.”
adj + prep
05. eager to please
“As a new intern, she was perhaps too eager to please her supervisors.”
adj + infinitive
Adverb
06. seemingly eager
“The candidate was seemingly eager to impress the panel during the final interview.”
adv + adj
07. understandably eager
“After months of delays, the residents were understandably eager to move into their new homes.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“Ocasio-Cortez, a 36-year-old with a progressive agenda and can’t-be-taught social media smarts, could meet the moment for a nation eager for a fresh start after a decade of Trumpism.” “One assumes he will be met at East Midlands airport by thousands of excited supporters eager to welcome their new hero.” “A dynamic midfield eager to attack and score goals, Wolves have done well to keep hold of him.” “Quick, dynamic and eager to run at full-backs, the 20-year-old could be the one to benefit most from Jack Grealish returning to Manchester City after his loan.” Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-rós Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱrós Proto-Italic *akris Classical Latin ācer Late Latin ācrus Old French aigrebor. Middle English egre English eager Inherited from Middle English egre, eger, from Old French aigre, egre (modern French aigre), from Latin ācrus, variant of ācer (“sharp, keen”); see acid, acerb, etc. Compare vinegar, alegar.
See eagre.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
01. eager beaver
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/eager
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0