INDEX:
1. enthusiastic
2. to talk about something in an enthusiastic way
3. enthusiastic feelings or behaviour
4. to make someone feel enthusiastic about something
5. not enthusiastic
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ EXCITED/EXCITING
↑ WILLING
↑ LIKE
↑ ENJOY
↑ DON'T CARE
↑ DISLIKE
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1. enthusiastic
▷ enthusiastic /ɪnˌθjuːziˈæstɪkǁ-ˌθuː-/ [adjective]
behaving in a way that shows how much you like, enjoy, or approve of something :
▪ A small but enthusiastic crowd cheered as the players ran onto the field.
▪ Several enthusiastic young teachers have just started working at the school.
enthusiastic about
▪ He’s still really enthusiastic about his new job.
enthusiastically [adverb]
▪ The public has responded very enthusiastically to our appeal.
▷ keen /kiːn/ [adjective] especially British
very enthusiastic about an activity or job :
▪ She hasn’t much experience but she’s very keen.
keen on
▪ There are plenty of after-school opportunities for people who are keen on athletics.
keen on doing something
▪ My parents have always been keen on travelling, whenever they get the chance.
a keen golfer/photographer/gardener etc
▪ Chris is a keen photographer - he’s won several competitions.
keen to do something
▪ Gabby was obviously anxious to do well, and Jane was keen to help her.
▷ eager /ˈiːgəʳ/ [adjective]
wanting very much to do, get, or see something soon :
▪ A crowd of eager fans were waiting outside the hotel.
eager to do something
▪ She hurried home from college, eager to hear Tom’s news.
eager for
▪ Simon was an ambitious man, eager for power and prestige.
eagerly [adverb]
▪ He jumped up eagerly and ran to answer the phone.
▷ be full of enthusiasm /biː ˌfʊl əv ɪnˈθjuːziæz ə mǁ-ˈθuː-/ [verb phrase]
to be very enthusiastic about an idea or plan, and talk about it with great excitement :
▪ We’ve discussed the idea and she seems to be full of enthusiasm.
be full of enthusiasm for
▪ Roger was full of enthusiasm for Tony’s plan.
▷ be/get excited about something /biː, get ɪkˈsaɪtə̇d əbaʊt something/ [verb phrase]
to be enthusiastic about something that is going to happen :
▪ It was a great opportunity, and I began to get really excited about it.
▪ Astronomers are very excited about a comet that will pass close to Earth later this month.
▷ be raring to go /biː ˌre ə rɪŋ tə ˈgəʊ/ [verb phrase]
to be extremely enthusiastic and excited about something that you are going to do, so that you cannot wait to begin :
▪ Come on, hurry up. The kids are raring to go.
▪ It’s going to be a tough game, but the whole team’s ready and raring to go.
▷ zealous /ˈzeləs/ [adjective]
extremely enthusiastic about something such as a political or religious idea which you believe in very strongly, and behaving in a way that shows this :
a zealous believer/opponent/supporter etc
▪ Only the most zealous supporters of Thatcherism were in favour of the tax.
zealous in doing something
▪ Some of the officers were more zealous than others in enforcing the disciplinary code.
zealously [adverb]
▪ Until now the Democrats have zealously opposed any reduction in the Healthcare budget.
2. to talk about something in an enthusiastic way
▷ enthuse /ɪnˈθjuːzǁ-ˈθuːz/ [intransitive verb] written :
▪ ‘You should have seen the match. It was so exciting,’ Gerry enthused.
enthuse about/over
▪ She was enthusing over my English essay, which I didn’t think was very good.
▷ be full of it /biː ˈfʊl əv ɪt/ [verb phrase] British informal
to talk a lot about something because you feel enthusiastic about it :
▪ She’s really pleased with her new job - she was full of it when I saw her last night.
3. enthusiastic feelings or behaviour
▷ enthusiasm /ɪnˈθjuːziæz ə mǁɪnˈθuː-/ [uncountable noun]
enthusiastic feelings or behaviour :
the enthusiasm of somebody/somebody’s enthusiasm
▪ The company has had another successful year, thanks to the enthusiasm and energy of our workforce.
enthusiasm for
▪ I’d forgotten about Jim’s enthusiasm for going on 20-mile walks.
full of enthusiasm
very enthusiastic
▪ Greta was full of enthusiasm for the plan.
with great enthusiasm
▪ She plays tennis with great enthusiasm, but not very well.
▷ eagerness /ˈiːgəʳnɪs, ˈiːgəʳnəs/ [uncountable noun]
a great and excited desire to do, get, or see something soon :
▪ He could see the eagerness in her face.
eagerness for
▪ the President’s obvious eagerness for an arms-control agreement
in somebody’s eagerness to do something
▪ Mark spoke quickly in his eagerness to explain his ideas.
4. to make someone feel enthusiastic about something
▷ inspire /ɪnˈspaɪəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to make someone feel enthusiastic about something and make them feel that it is worth doing :
▪ When I actually visited the university, it inspired me and made me want to go there.
inspire somebody to do something
▪ The lecture today really inspired me to read more poetry.
inspiring [adjective]
▪ After hearing Joe’s inspiring story, I was determined to raise as much money as I could for Cancer Research.
▷ motivate /ˈməʊtɪveɪt, ˈməʊtəveɪt/ [transitive verb]
to make someone feel enthusiastic about their work or their studies, and work hard :
▪ It’s often more difficult to motivate boys than girls.
▪ Every good teacher knows that criticism does not motivate learners.
motivate somebody to do something
▪ Only one third of workers said their supervisors know what motivates them to do their best work.
▷ fire somebody with enthusiasm British also fire somebody up especially American /ˌfaɪəʳ somebody wɒð ɪnˈθjuːziæz ə mǁ-ˈθuː-, ˌfaɪəʳ somebody ˈʌp/ [verb phrase]
to make someone extremely enthusiastic so that they want to work very hard to achieve something :
▪ His speech fired the audience with enthusiasm.
be (all) fired up
▪ Brown was fired up about being back on the field again after his injury.
▪ By the end of the meeting the sales team were all fired up and eager to start selling.
▷ rousing /ˈraʊzɪŋ/ [adjective]
a rousing song, speech etc makes people feel excited and eager to do something :
▪ His rousing speeches soon created a massive following.
▪ Rousing organ music was coming from the church.
5. not enthusiastic
▷ unenthusiastic/not enthusiastic /ˌʌnɪnθjuːziˈæstɪk◂, nɒt ɪnˌθjuːziˈæstɪkǁ-ˌθuː-/ [adjective not before noun]
▪ Are you sure you want to come? You don’t sound very enthusiastic.
unenthusiastic/not enthusiastic about
▪ She had never been very enthusiastic about her job as a designer.
distinctly unenthusiastic
definitely unenthusiastic
▪ The staff were distinctly unenthusiastic about the whole idea.
▷ half-hearted /ˌhɑːf ˈhɑːʳtə̇dǁˌhæf-/ [adjective]
without much enthusiasm or effort :
▪ Her apology was very half-hearted.
▪ People are starting to criticize the government for its half-hearted approach to reform.
half-hearted attempt
▪ Yves had made a half-hearted attempt to be friendly.
▷ your heart’s not in it /jɔːʳ ˌhɑːʳts nɒt ˈɪn ɪt/
if you say your heart’s not in it, you mean you are not enthusiastic about something you are doing, especially because you are not interested in it any more or because you do not think it is worth doing :
▪ I really loved teaching at first but my heart’s not in it any more.
▪ My heart’s not in this job. In fact I hate it.
▷ lukewarm /ˌluːkˈwɔːʳm◂/ [adjective]
not enthusiastic about something that someone has suggested or done, especially because you do not think it is very good :
▪ Their response to my idea was only lukewarm.
lukewarm to/towards
▪ Research chief, Michael Greenall, said ‘I’m lukewarm toward the whole deal.’
lukewarm about
▪ Investment fund managers are a little lukewarm about the prospects of these bonds.
lukewarm response/reaction etc
▪ Lester finished speaking, and there was a ripple of rather lukewarm applause.
▷ lack of enthusiasm /ˌlæk əv ɪnˈθjuːziæz ə mǁ-ˈθuː-/ [noun phrase]
if someone shows a lack of enthusiasm about something, they are not as enthusiastic about it as people expect them to be :
a clear/distinct/marked lack of enthusiasm
very definite and clear lack of enthusiasm
▪ Sam showed a distinct lack of enthusiasm when I told him my holiday plans.
lack of enthusiasm for
▪ Many people displayed a lack of enthusiasm for the proposal.
▷ muted /ˈmjuːtɪd, ˈmjuːtəd/ [adjective usually before noun]
muted response/enthusiasm/reaction etc
expressions of feelings which are not as enthusiastic as usual or as expected :
▪ There was rather a muted response to the speech.
▪ The Air Transport Association expressed muted support for the action.