ATHIRST Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

athirst

adjective

ə-ˈthərst

Definition of athirst

as in excited

showing urgent desire or interest was athirst for any news at all about family members serving in the war zone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Nguyen was excited to enjoy a warm summer outdoors before the smoke left her hesitant to step outside for her routine runs to the National Mall and daily walks with her dog.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
McKeon was excited to explore her chemistry with executive producer Gina Wendkos, who worked on the show alongside Tom Palmer, Jonathan Axelrod, James Widdoes and Amy Sherman-Palladino.

— Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Definition of excited

Adjective

A student of history and avid collector of tapestries, Ormund sees himself as a scholar, as Alicent (Olivia Cooke) describes to Rhaenyra in the fourth episode.

— Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
As an avid cyclist, Huckle liked the 22-mile Marvin Braude Bike Trail from Torrance to Pacific Palisades.

— Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of avid

Adjective

The king had personally invited the players immediately after their elimination from the World Cup, eager to thank them for giving the country one of the most significant achievements in the history of Norwegian soccer.

— Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026
The retired schoolteacher had ridden at the more than 27,000-acre off-road area numerous times before and was eager to try out her new bike, a gray-and-white Kawasaki KLX 300R dirt bike, according to the outlets.

— Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026

Definition of eager

Adjective

His approach is being noticed across the Democratic spectrum, from activists hungry for the right message in the 2026 midterms to those pining for viable presidential candidates in 2028.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
That philosophy has become more important as AI models grow more computationally intensive and power-hungry.

— Jeff Marks,Paulina Likos, CNBC, 17 July 2026

Definition of hungry

Adjective

Meditation, deep breathing, physical exercise or something as simple as doing laundry can interrupt the cycle of anxious searching.

— Rachel Hale, USA Today, 19 July 2026
Students are less anxious about money, less overwhelmed; their physical and mental health has improved.

— Jay A. Perman, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2026

Definition of anxious

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.

Browse Nearby Words

atheists

athirst

athletic

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Athirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athirst. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of athirst

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

maverick

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes