1
as in sensitive
able to sense slight impressions or differences
pilots with especially keen eyesight
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of keen
Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2025
Kaye’s contemporaries are remembering her as a consummate professional who had a keen talent for working with creatives, and for her stewardship as an advocate in championing the music supervision profession as a whole.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 19 July 2025
Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 25 Jan. 2023
For those keen on camping, this portable, self-inflating tent is designed to be water- and weather-resistant.
—Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 9 Jan. 2023
Emily Lordi Philip Cheung, New York Times, 10 May 2024
The score’s main theme feels, above all, like a progression—a steady movement from melody to dissonance, from keening violins to ominous cellos, from pastoral splendor to something more sinister and unresolved.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for keen
Adjective
As host, his relaxed manner and gentle, low-key speaking voice complemented his keen wit and subdued humor.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2025
Kaye’s contemporaries are remembering her as a consummate professional who had a keen talent for working with creatives, and for her stewardship as an advocate in championing the music supervision profession as a whole.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 19 July 2025
Noun
For those keen to explore the country deeper and differently, Vinho Verde awaits.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 25 Jan. 2023
For those keen on camping, this portable, self-inflating tent is designed to be water- and weather-resistant.
—Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 9 Jan. 2023
Verb
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
The score’s main theme feels, above all, like a progression—a steady movement from melody to dissonance, from keening violins to ominous cellos, from pastoral splendor to something more sinister and unresolved.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for keen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keen
Adjective
-
And new privacy legislation in Senate Bill 1295 requires collectors of sensitive data to notify consumers if their personal data is being used to train large language models.—
Angela Eichhorst,
Hartford Courant,
15 July 2025
-
In Cisco’s 2025 Data Privacy Benchmark, 64% of global respondents worry about inadvertently exposing sensitive information through AI tools, even as nearly half admit to feeding personal data into them.—
Boris Dzhingarov,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
There is a place to scamper inside to escape the biting winds at Nordkapp — a visitor center with a coffee shop, theater, small museum and continental Europe’s northernmost post office.—
Dan Fellner,
AZCentral.com,
6 July 2025
-
Share the research from 30 years ago that concludes these devices do not significantly reduce mosquito or biting insect populations.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
The latest of the spacecraft, known as sounding rockets, most recently made a successful quick trip to space to study one of the most complex regions of the sun's atmosphere following a New Mexico launch.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
-
And getting there might require making a quick withdrawal.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
This Dyson model is lightweight and has powerful suction and motorized tools that are excellent for getting hair out of carpets and upholstery.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
-
There is not a lot of room, but the midfielder is excellent at operating in tight spaces.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The actress, 32, spoke with PEOPLE on the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of her new film Smurfs and shared that her kids — son Kingston, 4, and daughter Jackson, 2 — are going to be very excited to see their mom on the big screen.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
14 July 2025
-
Not everyone will be excited to see the president back in town, however.—
Haisten Willis,
The Washington Examiner,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
The finish is long and intense, with lingering orchard fruits and spices.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
People should avoid long and intense outdoor activity and stay inside when possible, NWS advises.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
Thousands of cell phone lights and ear-piercing wails accompanied it.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
-
So, Nan is nowhere near over Guy, and making things more awkward, Theo can hear his wife’s wails on the other side of the door.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
A number of Tesla shareholders, including some Democrats who oversee the investment of public sector pension fund money in Tesla stock, complained in May to Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm that Musk’s other activities are hurting the company.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
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Trump has complained about the EU's $231 billion trade surplus in goods, which shows Americans buy more goods from European businesses than the other way around.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Keen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keen. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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