Vocabulary
eager
adjective·/EE-ger/
Wanting to do or have something very much, with energy and impatience. An eager person can hardly wait to get started.
Eager is enthusiasm pointed forward, the urge to get started. It is usually positive ("eager to learn," "eager to help"), signaling energy and willingness, which is why it is a great word in interviews and applications. The phrase "eager to please" can tip slightly negative (trying too hard), and "eager beaver" is a light tease for someone overly keen. But on its own, eager is a warm, energetic word.
5 ways to use “eager” in a sentence
- “I am eager to get started and learn how everything works.”
- “She was eager to take on the project nobody else wanted.”
- “The new hires are eager, which is half the battle.”
- “He is eager to help, sometimes before you have finished asking.”
- “I am eager to hear what you think once you have read it.”
Now say "eager" out loud, in your own sentence.
The fastest way to actually own a word is to use it when you speak, not just read it. Practice in TalkStride and get scored on how clearly it comes out.
Common mistakes
- Spelling it "eagar"; it is e-a-g-e-r.
- Confusing "eager" (keen) with "meager" (scanty), which rhymes but is unrelated.
- Overdoing "eager to please," which can read as insecure rather than keen.
Similar words, and how they differ
enthusiastic
Enthusiastic is full of excitement about something. Eager adds the impatient pull to get started on it.
keen
Keen is very interested or sharp. Keen and eager overlap closely; eager stresses the eagerness to act.
impatient
Impatient is unable to wait, often negative. Eager is the positive version, energized to begin.