enthuse

verb

en·​thuse in-ˈthüz How to pronounce enthuse (audio)
en-
also -ˈthyüz
enthused; enthusing
Synonyms of enthusenext

transitive verb

1
: to make enthusiastic
is enthused about the project
2
: to express with enthusiasm

intransitive verb

: to show enthusiasm
… a splendid performance, and I was enthusing over it …—Julian Huxley
Usage of Enthuse

Enthuse is apparently American in origin, although the earliest known example of its use occurs in a letter written in 1827 by a young Scotsman who spent about two years in the Pacific Northwest. It has been disapproved since about 1870. Current evidence shows it to be flourishing nonetheless on both sides of the Atlantic especially in journalistic prose.

Examples of enthuse in a Sentence

“This dinner is wonderful!” he enthused. His presentation failed to enthuse the committee.
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.
Juarez enthused, adding that part of the draw of the event for both business operators and consumers is the element of discovery and the thrill of the hunt organizers seek to create with every edition. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 Another possible challenge facing the Jayhawks is the late evening start in Salt Lake City (a 2 to 2 1/2 hour charter flight from Topeka) and a packed stadium full of fans enthused about Utah’s perfect start through four games. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026 Like Stifel, Cantor and Oppenheimer analysts were both enthused with Azure's momentum and kept their buy-equivalent ratings on Microsoft. — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026 Five o’clock Saturday, the Riverside Stadium and Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg is fist-pumping a half-bewildered but fully enthused home crowd. — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enthuse

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from enthusiasm

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of enthuse was in 1827

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enthuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enthuse. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

enthused; enthusing
1
: to make enthusiastic
2
: to show enthusiasm
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