enthusiast

noun

en·​thu·​si·​ast in-ˈthü-zē-ˌast How to pronounce enthusiast (audio)
-əst, 
en-
also -ˈthyü-
Synonyms of enthusiast
: a person filled with enthusiasm: such as
a
: one who is ardently attached to a cause, object, or pursuit
a sports car enthusiast
b
: one who tends to become ardently absorbed in an interest

Synonyms of enthusiast

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Examples of enthusiast in a Sentence

skiing enthusiasts can't wait for the first snowfall of the season
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In the ’90s, Berluti had the Swann Club, a now-defunct elite circle of brand enthusiasts brought together by Olga, the great-granddaughter of Alessandro Berluti, who founded the brand in 1895. — Ashley Ogawa Clarke, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026 And Dan Greenawalt, who often talked about a desire to turn gamers into car enthusiasts and vice versa, had the vision. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 29 Oct. 2026 These pools turned an unused space into a playground for swimmers, divers, water polo enthusiasts, and boaters, especially on hot summer days. — Laura Hall, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026 Corporations have responded with caution, especially in regulated sectors like banking and healthcare, confining deployments to narrow pilots whose early returns are far more modest than AI enthusiasts advertise. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enthusiast

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "person claiming to receive divine communication or inspiration, member of a putative early Christian sect making such claims," borrowed from Late Greek enthousiastḗs, going back to Greek, "person possessed by a god," from enthousiad-, stem of enthousiázein "to be inspired or possessed by a god" + -tēs, agent suffix — more at enthusiasm

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enthusiast was in 1748

Rhymes for enthusiast

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Browse Nearby Words

enthusiasm
enthusiast
enthusiastic
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Cite this Entry

“Enthusiast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enthusiast. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

enthusiast

noun
en·​thu·​si·​ast in-ˈth(y)ü-zē-ˌast How to pronounce enthusiast (audio)
-əst
: a person filled with enthusiasm
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