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
  • These customer success stories have got investors excited.
    David Prosser, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
  • A lot of kids were excited to see the live painting, because now kids are used to being on their phones.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • Castro, an avid baseball fan, coached a local baseball team, neighbors said.
    Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 23 May 2026
  • Busch and Mahomes, an avid racing fan and Formula 1 team co-owner, competed in a friendly virtual race on the iRacing platform that sent them speeding around the Kansas Speedway track.
    Lisa Gutierrez May 21, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2026
Adjective
  • The audience broke into cheers twice during the screening of the home-invasion thriller before giving the French pic wildly enthusiastic applause as the lights went up.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 22 May 2026
  • Ordinarily, the Texan midfielder is a relentlessly enthusiastic presence in the American locker room.
    Leander Schaerlaeckens, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
Adjective
  • Sometimes there’s an English language barrier, but everyone is patient and eager to make your stay memorable.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
  • Joelle D'Alencar, the owner of the business, is eager to help new customers feel comfortable.
    Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Adjective
  • An important element of the concept is that guests shouldn’t go hungry and definitely not starve.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026
  • With a base of egg noodles and four different kinds of cheese mixed in, this hearty casserole will easily feed a hungry family.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 22 May 2026
Adjective
  • That’s a lot of anxious energy surrounding a screening of a 55-year-old film that hasn’t been hard to see — in one form or another — in recent times.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 May 2026
  • Now, the Tiki Social at the Omni may be driving another escape, from our anxious times to the fantasy island life.
    Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • The symptoms to watch out for include being thirsty, having dark urine and feeling fatigued.
    Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 19 May 2026
  • For that reason, avoid planting hydrangeas near willow trees or other thirsty trees.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • San Diego County has been among the state’s most ardent MCRT supporters.
    Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
  • But everyone — from the most ardent fan all the way up to the owner who signs the checks — had to endure it.
    Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 14 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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Athirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athirst. Accessed 24 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster