3 syllables: ea, ger, ness. Stress on ea.
EE-gur-nuhs
/ˈiɡɚnəs/
eagerness is pronounced EE-gur-nuhs (/ˈiɡɚnəs/). It has three syllables (ea-ger-ness), with the stress on "ea". Eagerness refers to a strong, eager willingness or enthusiasm to pursue or engage in something. It conveys forward-leaning motivation and proactive interest, often accompanied by rapid, spirited energy. The term emphasizes intense desire and readiness to act, rather than passive curiosity.
Eagerness refers to a strong, eager willingness or enthusiasm to pursue or engage in something. It conveys forward-leaning motivation and proactive interest, often accompanied by rapid, spirited energy. The term emphasizes intense desire and readiness to act, rather than passive curiosity.
"Her eagerness to learn impressed the teachers."
"The team showed great eagerness to win the championship."
"She expressed her eagerness by volunteering for additional responsibilities."
Pronounce as /ˈiː.ɡər.nəs/ (US) or /ˈiː.ɡə(r)nəs/ (UK). Put primary stress on the first syllable: 'EE-ger-nəs'. The middle vowel is a schwa in many accents. Lip rounding is light; the final syllable is unstressed, with a quick, relaxed '-ness' ending. You can hear this in dictionaries’ audio clips and practice by saying 'eager' and adding a light 'ness' quickly.
Two frequent errors are misplacing stress (e.g., saying 'ee-GERNess') and pronouncing the middle vowel as a full 'a' (as in 'bear'). Correct by maintaining primary stress on the first syllable and using a reduced vowel (schwa) in the second syllable: /ˈiːɡərnəs/. Keep the final syllable light and quick. Listening to native audio and practicing with minimal pairs like 'eager' vs. 'eagerness' helps cement the correct rhythm.
In US and UK, the first syllable carries primary stress, with /ˈiː/ as a long E sound. US often uses /ˈiːɡərnəs/ with a rhotic 'r' sound in a non-rhotic region; UK tends to a non-rhotic /ˈiːɡə(r)nəs/ with a subtler r. Australian tends toward /ˈiːɡənəs/ or /ˈiːɡə(n)s/ with a more centralized second vowel. The middle consonant is a hard /ɡ/; the final syllable reduces to /nəs/. IPA references show these variations clearly in pronunciation guides.
The challenge lies in sustaining the strong initial /iː/ vowel while quickly reducing the middle vowel to a schwa and keeping the final -ness unstressed. The consonant cluster /ɡər/ requires precise tongue position so the /ɡ/ is clear but not aspirated into 'gah-erness'. Mastery also depends on avoiding a full 'eager-ness' feel; instead, keep the middle syllable reduced and the rhythm brisk. Practice with successively faster tempos to lock the pattern.
A key unique aspect is the potential presence of a reduced schwa in the second syllable across dialects, leading to /ˈiːɡərnəs/ (US) or /ˈiːɡə(r)nəs/ (UK). The r-coloring of /ər/ in rhotic accents vs. non-rhotic, and the subtle vowel shift in Australian speech can change the perceived rhythm. Also, many learners mispronounce the final /nəs/ as /nəs/ with a longer 'n'—keeping it light and short is crucial for natural-sounding English.
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Eagerness comes from the noun eager, which itself derives from Middle English iger (ere) and eager’s Proto-Germanic root *agiz- meaning sharp or keen. The word eager appeared in the 13th century, evolving to describe keen desire or readiness. The suffix -ness is a common noun-forming suffix in English, turning an adjective describing a state or condition into a noun representing that state. The semantic shift over time has kept the sense of intense readiness and enthusiasm, often with a connotation of proactive forward movement. First known use records the sense of heat, pressure, or urgent desire to do something, gradually aligning with modern psychological notions of motivation and inclination.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "eagerness" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "eagerness" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "eagerness"
-ess sounds
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