1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
the keenness of the knife should tell you that it was sharpened recently a writer famous for the keenness of her wit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enthusiasm
urgent desire or interest
was looking forward to his birthday party with the keenness of a youngster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intelligence
exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters
had the financial keenness to know that the stock was overvalued
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sensitiveness
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of keenness
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
The keenness of my letdown was dismaying.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
The talks signal keenness by both countries to maintain regular communication, The Wall Street Journal said.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Pol Ballús, New York Times, 29 May 2026
The keenness of my letdown was dismaying.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
The talks signal keenness by both countries to maintain regular communication, The Wall Street Journal said.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keenness
Noun
-
Bram, his husband, has a demanding job at a museum in Rotterdam and Arnold’s bitterness has grown wearying.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
Find out how to beat boredom and bitterness while holding onto your job, with tips on how to build your next chapter, from career coach Cynthia Young.—
Courtney Connley-Hampton,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Bloom’s shares have risen by more than 200% since the start of the year on the back of investor enthusiasm over demand for its technology to power data centers.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
-
No technical area is big enough to contain his enthusiasm, let alone the minimalist version at Bournemouth, which is the smallest in the Premier League.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The tunnel was discovered through intelligence work conducted by agents with the FGR's Criminal Investigation Agency in coordination with Mexico's Security Cabinet.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
Pulte will remain as chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and FHFA director in addition to acting as national intelligence director.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
This can occur with or without skin markings, which may be mistaken for seemingly benign culprits like bug bites or an allergic reaction.—
Alyssa Sparacino,
Glamour,
29 May 2026
-
Guests celebrating Giant included American Vogue Editor Chloe Malle as well as theater producers Tom Kirhady, Lucas McMahon, and Greg Nobile, who sipped on wine and champagne and dined on light bites whilst mingling and talking Tony prospects.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
For glowing skin, get the plumping thirst relief facial, which involves a nori algae mask and organic marine products only found at Shangri-La Boracay.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
To quench this thirst, coastal cities from California to the Middle East depend on industrial desalination plants.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
By greatly expanding the dimensions of his images, with their muted palettes, tight cropping, found symmetries, and laconic wit, had the maestro of the photographic epigram betrayed his subtractive aesthetic?—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
The Four Seasons actress shouted out her husband, Jeff Richmond, ahead of their 25th wedding anniversary with her signature wit.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Louisa Loo, Lombard Odier’s head of wealth planning for Asia, said many wealthy Asian families continue to delay succession discussions because of cultural sensitivities and a lack of urgency.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
-
My own sensitivity to jealousy began early.—
Meehika Barua,
Time,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The union has argued that the language — coupled with an arbitration provision — will limit the use of AI replicas to a handful of edge cases.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
5 June 2026
-
As the resort’s premium hotel-within-a-hotel experience, Hōkūpa‘a Tower guests will not only find larger indoor and outdoor room layouts, but will also gain access to The Lānai, a private lounge-style space with complimentary food and drinks, a private bar, and infinity-edge cocktail pools.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Keenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keenness. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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