Definition of athirstnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word athirst distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of athirst are anxious, avid, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

When might anxious be a better fit than athirst?

The synonyms anxious and athirst are sometimes interchangeable, but anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

How do avid and eager relate to one another, in the sense of athirst?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

In what contexts can eager take the place of athirst?

The meanings of eager and athirst largely overlap; however, eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

When would keen be a good substitute for athirst?

In some situations, the words keen and athirst are roughly equivalent. However, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for athirst
Adjective
  • This is a fan base reveling in the first playoff experience in 15 years, and the Sabres have given them plenty to get excited about.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Was so excited to make these and they were ruined by your poor recipe like many others!
    Christopher Kostow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Fandom, whether people like to classify themselves as members or not, has existed as long as there’s been entertainment, and extends beyond whatever TV show happens to be the current hit; athletes, sports teams, musicians, books, superheroes and more all have their avid fanbases.
    Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The White House has said Trump is an avid defender of the First Amendment and characterized certain controversial actions as efforts to maintain public safety and order.
    BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Not everyone is enthusiastic about the new possibilities.
    T. M. Brown, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The vibrant purple and vivid oranges, reds, and yellows will bring in enthusiastic bees and butterflies.
    Heather Bien, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Trump had used the act to plaster taxes on imports with eager abandon.
    Paul Wiseman, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Kay isn’t some kind of unhinged chaos agent or emotional thrill-seeker (well, maybe just a little), but rather an adventurous artist eager to dig deep beneath the surface.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The global micro-drama surge is also the story of a predominantly female audience, hungry for romance and fantasy, sidestepping legacy gatekeepers.
    Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The hungry yet uninitiated may enter the new 1986 Steak House, glance around and wonder whose likeness that is on the wall.
    Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The play is about Sarah, an anxious young woman living a double life.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • That’s the blunt reality facing Senate Majority Leader John Thune as Republicans grow increasingly anxious about the end-game for one of the most consequential — and politically combustible — confirmation fights in recent memory.
    Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In 2022, conservation experts expressed explicit concern with the building’s heavy use of concrete, noting that the museum would require an elaborate (and energy-thirsty) ventilation system to maintain internal temperature equilibrium.
    News Desk, Artforum, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Hilgert also suggested swapping out thirsty nonnative lawn turf for more resilient native grasses, like buffalograss or blue grama grass.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Kennedy, who has no background in science, medicine, or public health, is well known as an ardent anti-vaccine activist and peddler of conspiracy theories.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
  • This is a lovely film that will appeal to Bernstein’s most ardent fans, while warmly inviting neophytes into his world.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Athirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athirst. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.

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