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 year’s Fall Preview consists of all the entertainment — from TV to video games to theater — that Vulture writers and editors are excited to consume this season.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The inclusion created viral moments around social media with BLACKPINK’s global fanbase excited to see the song’s inclusion and the Shazam charts showing clear curiosity from viewers to find out more about the music.
    Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As for their own personal favorites, Walzideh has shifted from an avid romance reader to a romantasy fan.
    Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025
  • In January, the Birding & Wildlife Festival brings together avid avian enthusiasts.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • She’s best known for her enthusiastic and approachable ditties on key subjects, like potty training.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Educators and parents are increasingly enthusiastic that matching learning styles to students will reap academic rewards.
    Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Employees are eager to experiment with AI tools, but unclear policies and a lack of training fuel secrecy instead of confidence.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Wrapped in a bulky down jacket, Putin greeted residents eager to meet him.
    Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The freezing rain then traps lichen under a thick layer of ice where hungry reindeer can’t reach the food, according to Anna Skarin, a reindeer husbandry expert and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences professor.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • These facilities, dense with high-performance servers and cooling systems, are among the most power-hungry assets in the country.
    Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Maddie is talented, warm, funny and kind but also anxious, plagued with low self-esteem cultivated by a traumatic childhood.
    Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The other may be unsure, though not opposed, but anxious about leaving family and community.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Some common symptoms include the need to pee more frequently, feeling extremely thirsty, having dry and itchy skin, and getting dark, velvety patches on the skin.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The nursery has cleared water-thirsty plants and planted 100,000 indigenous trees since 2012.
    Heather Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • All hail this ardent, ferocious, baroque, bonkers bard.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Shinola continues to be an ardent promoter of Made in America.
    Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 7 Sep. 2025
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 11 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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