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
  • The Blaszczyk, Cornelius and Salinas families were among approximately 10,000 people who saw Xonita Saturday and Sunday at the Waukegan Municipal Beach, excited to get a look, take pictures, and, in some cases, buy their own smaller versions of the bear.
    Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
  • On Saturday at rookie minicamp, Mauigoa was asked about a video of Giants offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren getting excited when the team picked the Hurricanes standout.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • History buffs, avid hikers, music lovers, wine aficionados, and beach bums will all find a town to love in the Old Dominion.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
  • Great big swaths of the audience are singing every song, every lyric, with maximum commitment and a kind of avid purity, one that extends to impassioned hand gestures and — of course — an ongoing cascade of tears.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • Verdier says the increasing regulation in the car industry and the push to move away from fossil fuels are part of the reason why Ferrari is so enthusiastic about this project.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • Skaters ages 6-11 showed off their nose grinds, kickflips and wall rides to an enthusiastic early crowd.
    Tony Le Calvez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • Why the Sedins would be eager to take on this challenge, this greater level of responsibility and legacy-threatening scrutiny that will come attached to it, at this low point in franchise history, is beyond me.
    Thomas Drance, New York Times, 12 May 2026
  • The period setting demands a degree of authenticity that Dhont was eager to execute.
    David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
Adjective
  • Japan confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of 2026 after a record 13 deaths last year, with reports pointing to a jump in sightings as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 May 2026
  • Growing offspring will nurse when hungry, play like puppies and nap in the shade of the old oak trees.
    Susan Koch, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • In Louisiana, nearly 180,000 early ballots for House races already cast won’t be counted under the redrawn districts, leaving voters like Sallie Davis anxious their votes won’t be tallied.
    John Hanna, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
  • Viral genetics Researchers around the globe are also anxious to get the genomic data of the ANDV virus.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • Keep Them Hydrated Hydrangeas are thirsty, thirsty plants.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 May 2026
  • In addition to cleaning up the Colorado National Speedway faster after crashes this season, the new owners are trying to get an average of 5,000 hungry and thirsty fans back in their seats faster.
    Denver Post, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
Adjective
  • The young forward was a virtual unknown at the start of the campaign to all but the most ardent Wolves diehards.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 12 May 2026
  • The director, Pierre Salvadori, is described on the Cannes website as being an ardent devotee of the tradition of Ernst Lubitsch, Billy Wilder and Blake Edwards (though maybe only in France would that third name be yoked to the other two).
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 May 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 14 May. 2026.

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