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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of keen
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
As the company heads toward a likely IPO this year, the lab has been keen to court enterprise customers, who represent a more predictable and sustainable revenue base than direct consumer use.
—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
New Atlas,
19 May 2026
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
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
With the Warriors coming off a 37-45 season and a loss in the play-in tournament, Lacob had keen interest in the draft process.
—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
As the company heads toward a likely IPO this year, the lab has been keen to court enterprise customers, who represent a more predictable and sustainable revenue base than direct consumer use.
—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Noun
The keen-eyed among our readers will notice that the ROG glasses are largely the same inside and out as the Xreal One Pro, which cost $649.
—
New Atlas,
19 May 2026
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
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According to the text of the current agreement, the most sensitive nuclear issues are not yet agreed to on paper.
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Just last month, an attack on Canvas, a software used in schools and colleges, put thousands of students at risk by exposing sensitive information.
Adjective
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So Google isn’t trying to release more biting mosquitoes into neighborhoods.
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Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.
Adjective
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Davidson had leveled the same line of criticism against Conley in one of the primary race's few sharp clashes.
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In sharp contrast, the UPEPA tracks the existing summary judgment standard which only looks to whether a minimum of evidence exists and does not require the court to decide issues of facts.
Adjective
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Either way, Aestura’s Atobarrier 365 Ceramide Cream Mist is an easy way to give quick hydration to dry, stressed skin, thanks to an ultrafine spray packed with ceramides.
-
From California politics to safety concerns on Sacramento roads, here’s a quick digest of some of the top stories for June 23, 2026.
Adjective
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Turkey evened it in the 10th minute with an excellent two-man game from Baris Alper Yilmaz and Güler, the 21-year-old Real Madrid rising star.
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The nearby town of Dolores makes an excellent home base.
Adjective
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While the online retailer is serving up some excellent K-beauty deals—up to 40% off markdowns—our beauty editors are most excited about Medicube deals.
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While the Athletics hosted the Angels in Sacramento, their Single-A affiliate minor league team, Stockton Ports, hosted lots of dads who were excited to take their kids, young and grown, out to the ball game.
Adjective
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Katherine Guaramaco described the experience as one of the most intense of her life.
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The president highlighted the military operation in Iran that has proven deeply unpopular, and an immigration agenda that has provoked intense backlash.
Noun
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After a second of consideration, Naim slams the grate shut to the monster’s wails, and the audience’s relief.
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Three species of bats inhabit the site, and supernatural events—including the appearance of the gamekeeper’s ghost and the wail of a banshee—have been reported.
Cite this Entry
“Keen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keen. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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