enthusiastic
ihn-thyoo-zih-AS-tihk
Enthusiastic (adjective) means showing strong excitement, interest, or approval. Example: “The crowd gave an enthusiastic welcome to the returning team.”
adjective
1
Showing strong excitement, interest, or approval.
"The crowd gave an enthusiastic welcome to the returning team."
"She was enthusiastic about starting her new job."
"Our enthusiastic guide made the museum tour great fun."
How to use enthusiastic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFull of eager excitement or approval.
Common pairings
enthusiastic support
enthusiastic response
enthusiastic about
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like enthusiastic.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more enthusiastic
- Superlative
- most enthusiastic
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The crowd gave an _____ welcome to the returning team.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek enthousiastikos, related to "enthusiasm."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for enthusiastic
See all rhymes for enthusiastic →Frequently asked questions
What does “enthusiastic” mean?
The word “enthusiastic” means showing strong excitement, interest, or approval. In plain terms, full of eager excitement or approval.
How do you pronounce “enthusiastic”?
“Enthusiastic” is pronounced ihn-thyoo-zih-AS-tihk (/ɪnˌθuːziˈæstɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “enthusiastic” in a sentence?
Here is “enthusiastic” used in a sentence: “The crowd gave an enthusiastic welcome to the returning team.”
What is another word for “enthusiastic”?
Words with a similar meaning to “enthusiastic” include animated, ardent, avid, big [⇒ thesaurus] [on], bubbly and eager.
What is the opposite of “enthusiastic”?
The opposite of “enthusiastic” — its antonyms — are apathetic, cold, dispassionate, frigid and impassive.
What part of speech is “enthusiastic”?
“Enthusiastic” is an adjective.
Where does the word “enthusiastic” come from?
The word “enthusiastic” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek enthousiastikos, related to "enthusiasm.".
Is “enthusiastic” a common word?
“Enthusiastic” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between enthusiastic and eager?
Enthusiastic describes strong excitement, interest, or approval that is often expressed openly, while eager emphasizes an impatient readiness or desire to do something. A person can be eager to start a task without yet showing the outward excitement that enthusiastic implies.
What preposition follows enthusiastic?
Enthusiastic is typically followed by "about," as in "enthusiastic about the project," though it can also be paired with "over" in some contexts to describe strong excitement toward something.
Is enthusiastic a formal or informal word?
Enthusiastic is a neutral word appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, from professional reviews to casual conversation, unlike some of its more informal synonyms such as "gassed" or "geeked."
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include enthusiastic:
