enthusiasm
B2Neutral to formal; common in both spoken and written English
Definition
Meaning
intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval
A strong feeling of excitement or interest in something and a desire to become involved in it; also refers to something that inspires such feelings
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically uncountable when referring to the feeling itself; countable when referring to a specific interest or activity ('one of his many enthusiasms'). Implies active engagement rather than passive interest.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning differences. Both varieties use the word identically.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English in formal contexts; American English may use 'excitement' or 'passion' more frequently in casual speech.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both dialects; appears in top 3000-4000 words in corpora for both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
enthusiasm for [noun/gerund]enthusiasm about [noun/gerund]enthusiasm from [person/group]do something with enthusiasmVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “enthusiasm is contagious”
- “dampen someone's enthusiasm”
- “fire someone with enthusiasm”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in performance reviews, team motivation, and describing workplace culture ('We need to maintain enthusiasm during the restructuring').
Academic
Common in discussing research interests, student engagement, and scholarly pursuits ('Her enthusiasm for medieval literature is evident in her publications').
Everyday
Describing hobbies, interests, reactions to events, or general attitude ('The children showed great enthusiasm for the birthday party').
Technical
Rare in hard sciences; occasionally appears in education, psychology, or human resources contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She enthuses about classical music to anyone who will listen.
- Don't enthuse over it too much or they'll raise the price.
American English
- He enthused about the new restaurant downtown.
- They're enthusing over the team's chances this season.
adverb
British English
- They applauded enthusiastically at the end of the performance.
- She nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
American English
- The crowd cheered enthusiastically when the team scored.
- He talked enthusiastically about his vacation plans.
adjective
British English
- She gave an enthusiastic response to the proposal.
- The audience was less than enthusiastic about the changes.
American English
- He's really enthusiastic about his new job.
- We need more enthusiastic volunteers for the project.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children showed great enthusiasm for the ice cream.
- He plays football with enthusiasm every weekend.
- Her enthusiasm for learning languages is really inspiring.
- I admire his enthusiasm, even when things are difficult.
- The initial enthusiasm for the project waned as problems emerged.
- Her boundless enthusiasm sometimes overwhelms more cautious colleagues.
- The lecturer's palpable enthusiasm for the subject matter galvanised even the most disengaged students.
- Corporate enthusiasm for sustainable practices must be matched by genuine structural changes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ENTHUSIASM = ENTER THE USEFUL IDEA THAT ACTIVATES SINCERE MOTIVATION
Conceptual Metaphor
ENTHUSIASM IS FIRE/HEAT ('burning with enthusiasm', 'fire up enthusiasm', 'cooling enthusiasm')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly as 'энтузиазм' in all contexts - Russian 'энтузиазм' can sound more formal/forced
- English 'enthusiasm' is more natural in daily conversation
- Russian speakers may underuse the word in informal contexts where it would be appropriate
Common Mistakes
- Using uncountable form incorrectly ('enthusiasms' when meaning general feeling)
- Confusing with 'excitement' (which is more temporary/spontaneous)
- Incorrect preposition ('enthusiasm on' instead of 'enthusiasm for/about')
Practice
Quiz
Which preposition most commonly follows 'enthusiasm' when referring to an activity?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily uncountable when referring to the feeling ('She has great enthusiasm'). Countable when referring to specific interests ('Music and art are his two main enthusiasms').
'Enthusiasm' suggests sustained interest and eagerness, while 'excitement' refers to a more temporary, heightened emotional state. You can have enthusiasm without visible excitement.
Grammatically correct but unnatural. Native speakers typically say 'I'm enthusiastic about...' or 'I have a lot of enthusiasm for...' rather than 'I have enthusiasm'.
Rarely. It's almost always positive. If used negatively, it's usually qualified ('blind enthusiasm', 'misplaced enthusiasm') or in contexts where enthusiasm is inappropriate.
Collections
Part of a collection
Personality Traits
B1 · 36 words · Describing character and personal qualities.