AVID Synonyms: 148 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

avid

adjective

ˈa-vəd

Definition of avid

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Both sets of my grandparents are avid travelers, taking numerous international trips a year to destinations such as Thailand, Italy, France, and many other countries. — Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026 Griffin is the daughter of Kimberly Griffin, a concessionaire at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and an avid reader of this newsletter. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Throughout her youth, Diana was quite athletic, with a keen interest in swimming, diving, tap dancing, ballet, and was even an avid tennis player at West Heath Girls’ School. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026 Christina Stembel is an avid gardener, flower expert, and the founder and CEO of Farmgirl Flowers. — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for avid

Recent Examples of Synonyms for avid

Adjective

Unlike many residents, some, like Hawkins, were eager to learn about the project.

— Julia Avant, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
And while plenty of colleagues and acquaintances were all too eager to speak about those topics anonymously, almost nobody wanted their names attached.

— Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of eager

Adjective

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder) for resurrection.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
However, international observers fear that the deal, which Iran is uncharacteristically enthusiastic about, could concede to Tehran unprecedented authority to charge for transit through the strait.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of enthusiastic

Adjective

One player Nakase is excited to work with is someone her team was prepared to face on Friday night – Dallas star guard Paige Bueckers.

— Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2026
This will also be its first year since 2024, when Latino Fest returned after a five-year break to excited crowds.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of excited

Adjective

When the mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin rebelled against Putin, in 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that then security council chief Nikolai Patrushev, age 75, orchestrated the plane crash that killed the rebel leader.

— Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Now, with one-year mercenary players plus rapid roster turnover, the first game deters even the most addicted sports gambler.

— Mac Engel July 28, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026

Definition of mercenary

Adjective

The first documentary, in fact, earned a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, driven largely by her most ardent followers.

— Blanche Marcel, Vanity Fair, 6 Aug. 2026
Helsinki and Jyväskylä provide the clearest and most manageable introduction for all but the most ardent students of architecture.

— David Nikel, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of ardent

Adjective

Played by a Colman Domingo who is done up to look the most wax figurine of them all in a shellacking of makeup, prosthetics, and colored contacts, Joe is always either giving an avaricious open-mouthed leer or a cold-eyed glare.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
There’s a quasi-heist theme to The Christophers, which revolves around an acclaimed artist (McKellen), who has long since stopped making new work, and his avaricious children (Gunning and Corden) who try to enlist Coel to complete some of their dad’s unfinished paintings.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026

Definition of avaricious

Cite this Entry

Style

“Avid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avid. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of avid

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Must 'Avid' Mean 'Greedy'?

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on avid

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

salvo

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes

Synonyms of avid

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to avid

Must 'Avid' Mean 'Greedy'?

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on avid

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

salvo

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes