eager
gb/ˈiɡɚ/ us/ˈiɡɚ/
B1
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Strongly wanting to do something
Wanting very much to do or have something, usually soon.
Usage pattern:
eager to [do something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'eager' with 'anxious'. 'Anxious' can mean worried, while 'eager' is positive and excited.
Synonyms
keen (Slightly more formal; often used in British English.)
|
enthusiastic (Focuses more on excitement and energy rather than impatience.)
Antonyms
reluctant (Describes being unwilling or hesitant instead of wanting strongly.)
Collocations
eager to learn
|eager for success
|eager audience
|eager anticipation
|eager participant
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was eager to start her new job.
- The children were eager for the school trip to begin.
- He listened with eager attention.
- Fans waited in eager anticipation for the concert.
- I’m eager to hear your opinion.
Learner examples
- I am eager to meet you.
- She is eager to learn English.
- They are eager for the game.
- We are eager to help.
- He is eager to start.
Grammar
Expressions
eager anticipation
1/ˈiɡɚ æntˌɪsɪpˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Strong positive expectation
A feeling of great excitement and looking forward to something happening soon.
Examples
- The crowd waited in eager anticipation for the show to start.
- The book was greeted with eager anticipation by fans around the world.
- He opened the letter in eager anticipation.
- The children waited in eager anticipation for the fireworks to start.
eager beaver
1/ˈiɡɚ bˈivɚ/
idiom
informal
Very keen and hardworking person
A person who works very hard and wants to do many things, sometimes too much.
Examples
- She’s such an eager beaver—always volunteering for extra work.
- Our new assistant is an eager beaver who always arrives early and stays late.
- Don’t be such an eager beaver; take a break sometimes.
- Don’t be such an eager beaver; you’ll burn yourself out.
- Teachers usually like eager beavers because they do extra work and ask a lot of questions.