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
The talks signal keenness by both countries to maintain regular communication, The Wall Street Journal said.
—
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Farke himself commented on Gray’s keenness to be at the front of May’s title celebrations, despite having contributed only five minutes on the pitch for the senior side.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Farke himself commented on Gray’s keenness to be at the front of May’s title celebrations, despite having contributed only five minutes on the pitch for the senior side.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keenness
Noun
-
Tahini’s bitterness balances the intense sweetness of dates, the traditional Ramadan break-the-fast food; stuffing dates with tahini is a Ramadan treat.—
Faye Levy,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The bitterness is concentrated in the green shoot itself.—
Caitlin Beale,
Health,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The UConn athletic department acted fast after coach Dan Hurley – and Georgetown coach Ed Cooley – commented on the lack of enthusiasm from the home crowd and some empty seats at men’s basketball games this season.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Sámi filmmaker Elisabeth Rasmussen follows the impressive results of his research, which costs peanuts compared to the enormous budget poured into comparable space missions, with equal zeal and enthusiasm.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An array of former intelligence and law enforcement officials have received subpoenas in the investigation.—
Eric Tucker,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
About 13 million barrels per day of crude oil transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, accounting for roughly 31% of global seaborne crude flows, data provided by market intelligence firm Kpler showed.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Stir together the remoulade as the crab cakes cook, so as little time as possible stands between you and your first bite.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Infected cats can carry the fungus in their claws or skin lesions, and scratches or bites can transmit the infection to humans.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Send Help gives its beleaguered office-worker protagonist a thirst for blood.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
-
But at this point, the trend’s persistence and the thirst with which its products are consumed suggest a more profound connection between these stories and their audience.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Still, don’t be afraid to let your quick wit make a complex topic simple.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Some voters may not respond to his charm and wit.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When the estrogen hormone declines during perimenopause, the body’s insulin sensitivity decreases, too, which affects overall metabolism.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But the price sensitivity of consumers for weight loss drugs remains a big unknown, which makes greater volumes and more access points important.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Arm's chip designs power most of the world's smartphones and are increasingly used in AI data centers and edge computing devices.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
-
On Thursday afternoon, OpenAI released a new cutting-edge coding model that the company said assisted in its own creation.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Keenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keenness. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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