enthusiastic
in-thoo-zee-ASS-tik
/ɪnˌθjuːziˈæstɪk/
Showing intense enjoyment, interest, or approval.
Implies an active, positive engagement that is easily noticed by others.
The story behind the word. The word comes from ancient Greek 'enthousiasmos', which literally described a person possessed or inspired by a divine spirit or god. Over time, the religious meaning softened into the general feeling of overwhelming delight and active passion we know today.
Word relationships
- eager: Eager highlights keen desire to act quickly, whereas enthusiastic emphasizes warm emotional approval.
- keen: Keen suggests sharp interest or aptitude, while enthusiastic highlights active delight.
- apathetic: Apathetic shows a complete lack of interest or feeling.
- indifferent: Indifferent implies feeling neither warmth nor dislike.
Commonly confused with
- zealous: Zealous implies intense, often uncompromising devotion, whereas enthusiastic is positive and warm without fanaticism.
Word family
- enthusiasm (noun): Intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.
- enthusiast (noun): A person who is highly interested in a particular activity or subject.
- enthusiastically (adverb): In a way that shows intense enjoyment or interest.
Collocations
- enthusiastic response
- enthusiastic support
- enthusiastic welcome
- enthusiastic reception
Idioms & expressions
- eager beaver
Example sentences
- "The team was enthusiastic about the new project proposal presented by the lead architect." Professional environment
- "He was an enthusiastic admirer of the old romantic poets." Literary citation
Memory hook
Think of 'EN-THU-SIASM' as having a 'god inside' pushing you to smile and take action with joy. Possessed by joy.
When not to use
Avoid if describing fanatical, unreasoning, or dangerous obsession; use zealous instead.
Fun facts
- In ancient Greece, enthusiasm was considered a literal prophetic state induced by Apollo or Dionysus.
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