1
as in sensitive
able to sense slight impressions or differences
pilots with especially keen eyesight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
the keen wind gave me chapped lips
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3
as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
lanced the boil with a keen scalpel
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4
as in quick
having or showing quickness of mind
readers who were keen enough to realize that the writer was being satirical
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5
as in excellent
of the very best kind
that new digital camera sure is keen
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6
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest
a keen hunger for fame and fortune in the fashion industry
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7
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
movies gave him keen enjoyment like nothing else
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as in wail
a crying out in grief
the loud keens of the widows were heard throughout the war-ravaged city
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1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
victims of the disaster have been keening for weeks about the slowness of governmental aid
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of keen
Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 23 Oct. 2025
Now, Morjaria is keen to help others, urging anybody who might have questions about any symptoms to get in touch via Facebook.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023
Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
He’s been lauded for sounding like a vestige of another age — his supple, keening tenor the result of years of apprenticeship to the Pakistani artists Ustad Saami and Farida Khanum.
—Emily Lordi Philip Cheung, New York Times, 10 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for keen
Adjective
Farmers in Lebanon didn't seem keen on how recent developments had eliminated so much farmland, and several Zionsville residents emphasized how people living in rural areas of the town especially cherished their scenery.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 23 Oct. 2025
Now, Morjaria is keen to help others, urging anybody who might have questions about any symptoms to get in touch via Facebook.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
The song finds Abstract continuing to explore the contours of indie and alternative rock, with a simmering lo-fi guitar riff that gives way to the uneasy keen of a synth.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023
Verb
The sport's powerhouse India did not want to host another event, with Zimbabwe - emerging as a destination for major tournaments - and Sri Lanka keen but bypassed for the UAE, a reliable alternative that doubles as headquarters for the sport's governing body.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
He’s been lauded for sounding like a vestige of another age — his supple, keening tenor the result of years of apprenticeship to the Pakistani artists Ustad Saami and Farida Khanum.
—Emily Lordi Philip Cheung, New York Times, 10 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for keen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keen
Adjective
-
This allows users to benefit from AI acceleration without exposing sensitive information.—
Ni Tao,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Teens will need to allow their parents access and provide them with a time-sensitive QR code to complete activation.—
Alex Vance,
Parents,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But usually the administration official doesn’t fight back in such a biting way.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Over nearly three decades, Baumbach has built a career chronicling families in crisis and artists at the crossroads, his films combining biting wit with an unflinching emotional honesty.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Most of the song, the pre-chorus, chorus, all that stuff, that was really quick.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Steelers will have an opportunity to get back on track against an excellent Green Bay Packers squad next Sunday, before playing the Indianapolis Colts two days before the NFL trade deadline.—
Jon Conahan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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That’s because tipping isn’t in their culture, but Americans still might wish to add gratuity for excellent service.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There are so many people who are excited to have me back in some capacity as Superman.—
Charles Infosino,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Today, scientists are extremely excited about how AI can be used to predict the way molecules interact, transforming areas like drug discovery and materials science.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The intense taste and smell can make this tonic hard to stomach.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
24 Oct. 2025
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Part of what spurred intense interest, according to sources, was the success of Weapons, Zach Cregger’s summer horror hit.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The couple dozed like babies in the leaves—that cry, that wail, had become their sleep trigger.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Yet beneath this veneer, the wail of sirens, the hurried stamp of feet into basements and the slam of shelter doors have become just as familiar.—
Sonal Nain,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Police body cam footage recreates the months that led up to the tragic shooting, reconstructing the tale of a woman who frequently complained about the neighborhood's kids and hurled racial slurs at them before claiming the life of one of their mothers.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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For example, the brand had to reissue and had to rebrand its peptide lip treatment after customers complained about the texture.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Keen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keen. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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