keen 1 of 3

adjective

ˈkēn How to pronounce keen (audio)
Definition of keennext
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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keen

2 of 3

noun

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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keen

3 of 3

verb

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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2
as in to howl
to make a long loud mournful sound mourners keening for the victims of the bombing

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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

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.
Recent Examples of keen
Adjective
The Duchess was always keen to have some very good reason for the jewels that were in her possession. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026 Up until 1950, Señorita Rio uses her expert marksmanship, fencing skills, and keen intellect to fight Axis powers across South America. — Gaby Iori october 7, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 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
Of course, Plant also used those keening high notes to express an appetite for destruction. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025 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
  1. sensitive
  2. biting
  3. sharp
  4. quick
  5. excellent
  6. excited
  7. intense
  8. wail
Adjective
  • Over the past decade, cyberattacks against the education sector have risen expeditiously, exposing sensitive data, temporarily disrupting school operations and affecting students' learning.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Deisseroth, a Stanford professor, helped adapt a light-sensitive protein discovered by Hegemann and Nagel into a way to control nerve cells in living mice.
    — Kostya Manenkov, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Her version is louder and more biting, but never at the sacrifice of the track’s spirit.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In 2022, Lee County’s Mosquito Control District decided to try aiming radiation at mosquitoes instead, specifically the biting, disease-carrying kind — Aedes aegypti.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of biting
Adjective
  • Aldabra’s landscape consists of sharp coral and thick, tangled vegetation.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The continuing tremors represented a sharp increase from the more than 47 aftershocks reported by Rivera during a Friday afternoon news conference.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of sharp
Adjective
  • Set the scene My Uber ride from Santa Fe’s Regional Airport was a quick 15 minutes.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The activewear market has been especially quick to adopt these changes.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of quick
Adjective
  • There’s an excellent Anantara Spa and a state-of-the-art fitness center onsite, but the highlight of the property is its 60-foot-long oceanfront infinity pool, which overlooks the entire expanse of Stone Town beach.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Mikey Madison is excellent as a whistleblower driven by love, not spite.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • Everyone is excited for the vacation, except for Shannon and Carmella, who both have valid reasons.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors have said Birchmore was excited about her pregnancy and gave Farwell updates about her due date, ultrasounds, doctor appointments and a gender reveal.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Through it all, Pi-o and Jeong-yo’s intense, often tender relationship serves as a throughline, bringing many viewers to question if the Netflix series qualifies as a boys’ love (aka BL) drama.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Castle of Oia is also lovely—though the sunset-seeking crowds can be intense.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of intense
Noun
  • Feverish with feeling, the women scream, wail and sob, each one experiencing her misery multiply in real time as the remaining two look on in disdain.
    — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • No wet plop of a SpongeBob ice cream bar crashing onto hot asphalt; a child’s apocalyptic wails ensuing.
    — Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of wail

Phrases Containing keen

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keels (over)
keen
keened
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Cite this Entry

“Keen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keen. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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