to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
victims of the disaster have been keening for weeks about the slowness of governmental aid
the state or quality of being able to sense slight impressions or differences
there's an enhanced keenness of hearing that young mothers seem to develop
How does the adjective keen contrast with its synonyms?
The words acute and sharp are common synonyms of keen. While all three words mean "having or showing alert competence and clear understanding," keen suggests quickness, enthusiasm, and a penetrating mind.
a keen observer of the political scene
In what contexts can acute take the place of keen?
The meanings of acute and keen largely overlap; however, acute implies a power to penetrate and may suggest subtlety and sharpness of discrimination.
an acute sense of style
When would sharp be a good substitute for keen?
While the synonyms sharp and keen are close in meaning, sharp implies quick perception, clever resourcefulness, or sometimes questionable trickiness.
sharp enough to spot a confidence game
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of keen
Adjective
Andrea Zendejas is Vogue Shopping’s market editor with a keen eye for ready-to-wear and accessories.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
2 July 2026 Army of Shadows doesn’t have a TX but the team will be keen to get it out quickly in order to tap into a local and global feeling of political discontent.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
3 July 2026
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 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
Verb
But Americans don't seem to keen on the idea, according to a Pew Research Center survey released earlier this year.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
23 May 2026 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
Noun
The keenness of my letdown was dismaying.—Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026 Barcelona and Bayern’s keenness to acquire him underlines both the paucity of the top-level winger market, as well as his own unique characteristics.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for keen
Rescuers then wait intently for any indication of life, using sensitive microphones or telescopic cameras or simply pressing an ear against the rubble, hoping to detect a voice, a knock or the faintest movement.
—
Fernanda Pesce,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
So far, the administration has sued multiple states unsuccessfully in attempts to obtain sensitive voter-roll data to run through a federal database known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, program.
Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
20 June 2026
So Google isn’t trying to release more biting mosquitoes into neighborhoods.
In addition to the sharp shape, the coffee brown shade gives the bag a more elevated feel.
—
Irene Richardson,
InStyle,
6 July 2026
During male puberty, rising testosterone drives the cartilage to grow forward and meet at a sharper angle, while simultaneously lengthening the vocal folds and vocal tract housed just behind it.
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley There may still be questions about whether the romance between Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley was genuine, and their secret, quick-turn overseas wedding didn't help matters.
—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
But upon closer inspection Mbiya appears significantly leaner and quicker.
While San Francisco’s bullpen is struggling, Rogers is in the midst of another excellent season after signing a three-year, $37 million deal to join the defending American League champions.
—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
7 July 2026
Guests can borrow, for no charge, one of four Mate e-bikes for spins around the park or beyond, say to Tanimachi nearby for local neighborhood vibes, including charming izakayas, gyoza shops, and excellent, one-woman restaurants such as Tachiaoi.
Mourners beat their chests rhythmically in the intense summer heat, the wails of women cutting through the noise as the body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was unveiled beneath a glass case at the Grand Mosalla.
—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
4 July 2026
After a second of consideration, Naim slams the grate shut to the monster’s wails, and the audience’s relief.
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