# enthusiasm

/ɪnˈθuziˌæzəm/ (US) · /ɛnθjˈuːzɪˌæzəm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/enthusiasm
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. excitement and interest

noun · CEFR B1

a strong feeling of excitement and interest in an activity or subject.

For teachers: the quality of being eager and showing strong interest or approval. Uncountable in this general sense.

- The students showed great enthusiasm for the new science project.
- Despite the initial setbacks, the team maintained their enthusiasm for the project, eventually securing the funding they needed.

### 2. a hobby or interest

noun · CEFR B2

a specific activity or subject that you are very interested in.

For teachers: a particular subject or activity that inspires intense interest. Countable in this sense.

- One of his main enthusiasms is collecting old vinyl records.
- Her academic enthusiasms were varied, ranging from medieval architecture to modern particle physics.

### 3. religious frenzy

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

a historical word for feeling like a god is controlling your mind or spirit.

For teachers: a historical or literary sense referring to divine inspiration or a state of religious frenzy.

- The old books described the prophet's speech as a product of divine enthusiasm.
- In eighteenth-century discourse, the term 'enthusiasm' often carried a negative connotation, suggesting a dangerous and irrational religious delusion.

## Examples

- The children showed great enthusiasm for the new game.
- She lacked enthusiasm for the project at first, but her interest grew as she saw the results.
- While the initial public enthusiasm for the policy was high, it began to wane as the logistical challenges of implementation became more apparent to the average voter.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.