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

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.
Ecuador, Peru, and Chile draw nature enthusiasts seeking soft or active adventure; and each of these destinations is also often found on the lists of must-see places for the well-traveled. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026 The artifacts come from the collection of San Francisco artist and psychedelics enthusiast Mark McCloud. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 On Tuesday, all eyes were on OpenAI, as investors and AI enthusiasts anticipated what the ChatGPT creator would unveil in the wake of last week’s Meta Connect developer conference. — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026 Focusing on that perspective, Hendrikx interviewed 107 riders—an array that included professional motorcyclists, celebrities (including Jason Momoa, shown in opening image), custom-bike builders, and enthusiasts—many of them women. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enthusiast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enthusiast. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

enthusiast

noun
: a person filled with enthusiasm
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