avid

adjective

ˈa-vəd How to pronounce avid (audio)
Definition of avidnext
1
as in eager
having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions stared at the array of jewels with an avid glint in his eye

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enthusiastic
showing urgent desire or interest an avid baseball card collector

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word avid distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of avid are anxious, athirst, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

When might anxious be a better fit than avid?

Although the words anxious and avid have much in common, anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

Where would athirst be a reasonable alternative to avid?

The meanings of athirst and avid largely overlap; however, athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

When could eager be used to replace avid?

While in some cases nearly identical to avid, eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

When is it sensible to use keen instead of avid?

The synonyms keen and avid are sometimes interchangeable, but keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of avid Completed in 2010, the 46,000-square-foot building was named after philanthropists and avid art enthusiasts Eli and Edythe Broad, who have amassed a wealth of contemporary and postwar art during four decades of collecting. —Mae Hamilton, AFAR Media, 9 Sep. 2025 Neighbors told the station the male victim was an avid Yankees fan and had lived in the home for about 40 years. —Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Shanna Schanen is an avid market shopper and the co-founder of Round Top Film Festival. —Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025 Istel was an avid bridge player who played competitive bridge up to her 100th birthday, her son said. —Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for avid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avid
  1. eager
  2. enthusiastic
  3. greedy
  4. excited
  5. mercenary
  6. ardent
  7. avaricious
  8. keen
Adjective
  • Employees are eager to experiment with AI tools, but unclear policies and a lack of training fuel secrecy instead of confidence.
    — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Wrapped in a bulky down jacket, Putin greeted residents eager to meet him.
    — Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
Definition of eager
Adjective
  • The opposition leader maintains close ties with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of the most enthusiastic proponents in the Cabinet of this particular naval buildup.
    — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In the same piece from Heyman, Phillies president of baseball operations David Dombrowski gave an even more enthusiastic quote about a potential Schwarber reunion.
    — Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Definition of enthusiastic
Adjective
  • Fleming and Iwamasa, as well as greedy ketamine providing doctors Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez have all previously entered guilty pleas in the Perry case.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Women are greedy, untrustworthy, weak and inferior, these influencers say.
    — Will Carless, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of greedy
Adjective
  • This year’s Fall Preview consists of all the entertainment — from TV to video games to theater — that Vulture writers and editors are excited to consume this season.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The inclusion created viral moments around social media with BLACKPINK’s global fanbase excited to see the song’s inclusion and the Shazam charts showing clear curiosity from viewers to find out more about the music.
    — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Both sides need mercenaries to survive and this box provides a campaign framework for running a mercenary company willing to die for that almighty C-Bill.
    — Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
  • In Jurassic World Rebirth, Johansson leads a dangerous expedition as mercenary Zora Bennett, building a rapport with Bailey's character: super-smart paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis.
    — Jen Juneau, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Definition of mercenary
Adjective
  • All hail this ardent, ferocious, baroque, bonkers bard.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Shinola continues to be an ardent promoter of Made in America.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 7 Sep. 2025
Definition of ardent
Adjective
  • Manipulating these obviously very greedy and avaricious [people] is still kind of beneath his skills.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The comedy-drama follows a Gen Z content creator who returns to her ancestral home seeking viral material, only to encounter her deceased brother’s ghost while dealing with avaricious relatives.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of avaricious
Adjective
  • Many of the night’s attendees also were keen to meet Dolores Huerta, the 95-year-old icon who is known for her work in both the labor and feminist movements.
    — Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Plenty of Republican senators, including Marsha Blackburn and Josh Hawley, are keen to pass regulation that mitigates AI harms.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Definition of keen

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Cite this Entry

“Avid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avid. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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