keenness

1 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 acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony, acuteness, asperity, bite, bitterness, harshness, edge, poignance, poignancy, pungency, roughness, sharpness, tartnessRelated Words ginger, punch, spice, tang; raucousness, severeness, severity, shrillness, virulence, vitriol; cattiness, maliciousness; pointedness, thorninessNear Antonyms gentleness, kindlinessAntonyms mildness, softness

2 urgent desire or interest was looking forward to his birthday party with the keenness of a youngster Synonyms appetite, ardor, avidity, avidness, desirousness, enthusiasm, excitement, hunger, impatience, eagerness, lust, thirstRelated Words alacrity, quickness; ambition, gusto, zest; appetence, appetency, fervency, passion, warmth, zeal; amenability, readiness, willingnessNear Antonyms casualness, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern; aloofness, detachment; impassivity, languidness, languor; halfheartedness, lukewarmnessAntonyms apathy, indifference

3 exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters had the financial keenness to know that the stock was overvalued Synonyms astuteness, caginess (also cageyness), canniness, clear-sightedness, foxiness, hardheadedness, intelligence, acumen, knowingness, sharpness, shrewdness, witRelated Words discernment, insight, perception, perceptiveness, perceptivity, percipience, sagaciousness, sagacity, sageness, sapience, wisdom; artfulness, artifice, craft, craftiness, cunning, deviousness, guile, slickness, slyness, sneakiness, subtleness, subtlety, wiliness; brain(s), gray matter, intellect, reason, senseNear Antonyms artlessness, greenness, guilelessness, ingenuousness, innocence, naiveness, naïveté (also naivete or naiveté), simplemindedness, simpleness, simplicity, unsophistication, unworldliness; brainlessness, density, doltishness, dopiness, dumbness, fatuity, foolishness, half-wittedness, mindlessness, oafishness, obtuseness, senselessness, slowness, stupidity, stupidness, vacuity, witlessness

4 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 acuteness, delicacy, acuity, perceptiveness, perceptivity, sensitiveness, sensitivity, sharpnessRelated Words hyperacuity, hypersensitiveness, hypersensitivity, oversensitiveness, oversensitivity, supersensitivity; accuracy, exactitude, exactness, fineness