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
  • Bowe is excited for the 2026 Winter Games — particularly the return to fans in the stands, as they were still barred from attending in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Strassler is particularly excited about the study of radioactive thorium-229 decay, which could reveal variations in the fundamental constants.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Apart from specializing in all things outdoors and adventure travel, Emily is also an avid yogi, wellness fiend, mental health reporter, and food lover, especially if the food in question is artisan ice cream.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Yet the restaurant has kept a firm grip on the imaginations of avid Miami foodies.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Obermann is especially enthusiastic about the color for a child’s bathroom.
    Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Selig’s comments received an enthusiastic response from the Coalition for Prediction Markets.
    Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Republicans are eager to maintain Latino support in their bid to keep control of Congress.
    Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
  • About a dozen tots strapped up in their floor length aprons, eager to get messy in the garden, on a brisk winter Texas morning.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Fans of franchises are hungry for products that celebrate and show off their favorite characters or movie moments.
    Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Our community is curious, ambitious, intellectually hungry — a group of lifelong learners who want to understand the world and their place in it more deeply.
    Daphne Koller, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Flat, calm but earnest, mildly anxious, blunted, volatile.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Times of Troy survey After an anxious few weeks for Trojan fans, USC finally has its next defensive coordinator.
    Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Energy vampires are everywhere, thirsty for a selfie or a sound bite or a Zoom.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Wilted leaves are the first sign your plant is thirsty.
    Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • In the emails, Attia is not just Epstein’s medical adviser but a friend and ardent admirer.
    Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Her love for the arts, particularly the theater, was reflected in her quiet but ardent support of many community arts activities and institutions, and is continued by today’s Bee, which supports a wide variety of arts programs.
    Seán McMahon, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 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 5 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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