Definition

Adjective 1. Highly excited, eager, or curious: Feeling or showing a state of great enthusiasm, anticipation, or keen interest, often about something specific that is about to happen or be revealed.

Usage

The word "agog" describes a state of eager excitement or intense curiosity. It is typically used predicatively (after a linking verb like be, seem, look) and is often followed by a prepositional phrase starting with for, with, or to to indicate the source of the excitement.

Examples

• The audience was agog with anticipation for the magician's final trick.
• The children were agog to see what was inside the large, wrapped box.
• The scientific community is agog over the new discovery.
• She listened, agog, as he told the incredible story of his adventure.

Advanced Usage

• To be agog for something: To be eagerly awaiting or desiring something.
  • The collectors were agog for a glimpse of the rare painting.
• To be agog to do something: To be very eager and impatient to do something.
  • He was agog to share the good news with his family.
• To set/leave someone agog: To cause someone to become very excited or curious.
  • The mysterious headline left the entire office agog.

Variants and Related Words

• Agog is primarily used as an adjective. It does not have common noun or verb forms.
• Agog can sometimes function as an adverb in older or more literary usage, meaning "in an eager or excited manner," though this is now rare.
  • They listened agog to the tale. (archaic/literary adverbial use)

Synonyms

• Eager
• Excited
• Keen
• Enthralled
• Aflutter
• On tenterhooks
• Breathless with anticipation

Antonyms

• Apathetic
• Uninterested
• Bored
• Indifferent
• Blasé

Idioms and Phrases

While "agog" itself is not commonly part of a larger idiom, it is frequently used in the set phrases described in the "Advanced Usage" section (e.g., agog for, agog to).

Adjective

1. highly excited