1
2

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

Examples 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 The crew includes Chun Wang of Malta, an entrepreneur who made a fortune in cryptocurrency and an avid adventurer. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 17 Dec. 2024 For avid readers Kindle Paperwhite; Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16GB) The latest Kindle e-readers deliver 20% faster page turns. Marc Saltzman, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024 However, refusing to give up on his dream of becoming an avid writer of fiction, the young author brings talent, dogged determination and a marketing savvy mindset to break through the industry’s perennial clique. Sonya Rehman, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024 To promote the upcoming documentary, Waddingham — an avid supporter of the initiative — joined William for a friendly game of darts and a round of beers at Alexandra Palace, the iconic entertainment and sports venue in North London. Erin Hill, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for avid 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avid
Adjective
  • Airlines, especially, have been eager to point fingers at short staffing in control towers as a major cause of delays, especially during peak travel seasons.
    Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Self-esteem: Feedback from others can make all the difference in a journey of self-improvement, and your participation will be assessed by a diverse group of reviewers eager to offer their opinions not only on your appearance, but also on your overall demeanor and person.
    Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Comer was excited and relieved to see Athena had returned safely after nine days of grueling searches and heartbroken meltdowns from her kids.
    Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Several council members brought up worries about the plan before the vote, saying there was an opportunity to have a big project in the space that more of the community was excited about.
    Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Legendary investor Warren Buffett advises to be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.
    Dividend Channel, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Robert Redford delivers folksy wisdom as a local eccentric who once had his own dragon encounter, and even Karl Urban’s greedy logger is more of a nuisance than an outright villain.
    Josh Bell, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • What's New Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is promoting his Rudy Coffee brand in a new ad posted to his account on X, formerly Twitter, in which he's dressed as Santa Claus and talking to an enthusiastic Mrs. Claus who's sitting on his lap while sharing her Christmas wish list.
    Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Still, the idea of candying fruit at home seems daunting at best, at least to this NPR reporter (and enthusiastic amateur baker).
    Neda Ulaby, NPR, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Leaving these questions unasked opens the door to a mercenary, amoral public life.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
  • My wife, who is not an international money launderer or mercenary warlord, was turned down for a savings account with a UK bank last year because her driving license had expired.
    David G.W. Birch, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • This busy romp through the life, art and times of Frank Zappa is illustrated with clips and photos even ardent fans won’t have seen; commentary from friends, family and collaborators fills out the picture of a very public private person.
    Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
  • His remarks prompted fury from ardent supporters of Ukraine and applause from lovers of Russian music, igniting a bitter debate, largely one between generations, about whether culture and politics can be separated at a time of war.
    Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Ever since the United States liberated Kuwait from the avaricious clutches of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War of 1990-91, the Kuwaitis have supported U.S. priorities in the Middle East and elsewhere.
    Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2022
  • Stalin’s apprenticeship in high-stakes diplomacy had shown him to be cunning but also opportunistic, avaricious, obdurate.
    Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
Adjective
  • My experience providing staffing solutions gives me a keen perspective on this new age of workers.
    Jason Leverant, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
  • Luck and a keen eye helped members of the public recover some of these missing artworks, leading them to take a second look at items dismissed by others as worthless.
    Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near avid

Cite this Entry

“Avid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avid. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on avid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!