enthuse

IPA/ɪnˈθjuːz/
KK[ɪnθˈuz]IPA/ɪnˈθuːz/

enthuse — verb

  • enthusepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • enthuseshe / she / it
  • enthusedpast simple
  • enthusing-ing form

1. to speak with obvious delight and energy about something you really enjoy or car

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to speak with obvious delight and energy about something you really enjoy or care about

Example

After the concert, Mei enthused about the singer's powerful voice for days.

enthuse about [topic] — intransitive pattern with about

Olena enthused over the homemade pasta at her friend's dinner party.

Common collocations
  • enthuse about
  • enthuse over
Synonyms
  • rave

    more informal and suggests even stronger, less controlled praise

  • gush

    implies emotional outpouring that may seem excessive

  • wax lyrical

    more formal or literary; suggests elaborate, polished praise

Antonyms
  • dismiss

    to reject something as unimportant

  • criticize

    to point out faults rather than express delight

Grammar Patterns

enthuse + about/over + [topic]

Usage Note

Intransitive only; the topic must be introduced by about or over. The adjective enthusiastic (e.g. 'She was enthusiastic about it') is far more common in everyday English than this verb.

Common Mistakes

I am very enthuse about the trip.
I am very enthusiastic about the trip.
enthuse is a verb, not an adjective.
She enthused him about the movie.' (sounds like sense 2)
She enthused about the movie to him.
sense 1 has no direct object.

2. to fill someone with your own strong interest and excitement about a topic, so t

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to fill someone with your own strong interest and excitement about a topic, so that they start to care about it too

Example

The swimming coach enthused the young athletes about the upcoming race.

enthuse [someone] about [topic] — transitive pattern with about

Nora's love of gardening enthused her neighbors to start planting vegetables too.

enthuse [someone] + to-infinitive — action result

Common collocations
  • enthuse [someone] about
  • enthuse [someone] to
Synonyms
  • inspire

    broader — can apply to any feeling, not just excitement

  • motivate

    focuses on driving action rather than creating excitement

  • fire up

    informal; suggests sudden, intense enthusiasm

Antonyms
  • discourage

    makes someone less confident or interested

  • dampen

    reduces the strength of excitement or interest

Grammar Patterns

enthuse + [someone] + about + [topic]

enthuse + [someone] + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Transitive; the subject is a person, event, or experience that sparks excitement in others. The object is the person or group whose interest is awakened. Often followed by about + topic or a to-infinitive showing the resulting action.

Common Mistakes

The coach enthused about the team to practice harder.
The coach enthused the team about practicing harder.
sense 2 requires a direct object (the team).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four describe expressing strong positive feelings about something, but they differ in tone. Enthuse is the most neutral and versatile — it simply means talking with genuine excitement. Rave is more informal and intense, suggesting you cannot stop praising something ('He raved about the restaurant for weeks'). Gush implies emotional, perhaps excessive outpouring and can sound slightly negative ('She gushed over the baby's every smile'). Wax lyrical is the most formal and literary, suggesting elaborate, polished praise ('Critics waxed lyrical about the film's cinematography'). Use enthuse for everyday conversation about hobbies or experiences; save rave for when you want to emphasise unstoppable praise; use gush cautiously as it can sound dismissive; and reserve wax lyrical for writing or formal speech.

enthuse ↗ravegush ↗wax lyrical

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • enthuse wildly
  • enthuse openly
  • enthuse freely

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLate LatinEnglish

Enthuse is a back-formation from enthusiasm, created by removing the suffix -iasm. The word enthusiasm comes from Greek enthousiasmos, meaning 'inspiration or possession by a god,' from entheos 'having the god within.' Enthuse itself first appeared in English in the mid-1800s, though it was considered informal for much of its history.