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Synonyms

enthusiast

American  
[en-thoo-zee-ast, -ist] / ɛnˈθu ziˌæst, -ɪst /

noun

  1. a person who is filled with enthusiasm for some principle, pursuit, etc.; a person of ardent zeal.

    a sports enthusiast.

    Synonyms:
    fan, devotee, zealot
  2. a religious visionary or fanatic.


enthusiast British  
/ ɪnˈθjuːzɪˌæst /

noun

  1. a person filled with or motivated by enthusiasm; fanatic

  2. archaic a religious visionary, esp one whose zeal for religion is extravagant or unbalanced

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • antienthusiast noun

Etymology

Origin of enthusiast

First recorded in 1600–10; from Greek enthousiastḗs “inspired person, possessed person,” from enthousí(a) “possession by a god” ( enthusiasm ) + -astēs -ast ( def. ) (variant of -istēs -ist after i )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Heated Rivalry has an undeniable kinship with Asian Boys' Love stories, says Anna, a BL enthusiast since she was a teen.

From BBC

Goldstein argued more than 40 cases at the high court and was co-founder of SCOTUSblog, a digital publication devoted to the high court that is widely read by legal practitioners and enthusiasts.

From The Wall Street Journal

When DeepSeek first captured the attention of AI enthusiasts last year, it raised concerns that China might be able to quickly catch up with U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We have, unsurprisingly had interest from enthusiasts around the world, so I am hoping that we exceed the top estimate of £1,000," said Meadows.

From BBC

The irony would be acute: While many enthusiasts view Mars as a refuge to save humankind from disaster, its inhabitants could quickly become nonhuman.

From The Wall Street Journal