English Reference
Adverb

eagerly

adv. manner
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈiɡɝɫi/ UK /ˈiːɡəli/ ea·ger·ly

adv.doing something with a lot of excitement and interest because you really want to do it. You use this when you are looking forward to something.

adv.in a manner characterized by keen interest, intense desire, or impatient enthusiasm.


SIMPLE

The children waited eagerly for the party to start.

CONTEXTUAL

The fans gathered outside the stadium, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the team bus.

COMPLEX

Investors eagerly snapped up shares in the new tech startup, hoping to capitalize on the market's current obsession with artificial intelligence.

Usage

Typically follows the verb it modifies or sits between the subject and the main verb.

On back-to-school night in 2005, I eagerly entered my youngest child's first-grade classroom.

Phys.org· 9 Sept 2026

From Middle English egerly; equivalent to eager + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English egerly
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated