Antonyms for keen
kinkeen

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. keen

   Acute, from the Latin, suggests the sharpness of the needle's point; keen, from the Saxon, the sharpness of the cutting edge. Astute, from the Latin, with the original sense of cunning has come to have a meaning that combines the sense of acute or keen with that of sagacious. The astute mind adds to acuteness and keenness an element of cunning or finesse. The astute debater leads his opponents into a snare by getting them to make admissions, or urge arguments, of which he sees a result that they do not perceive. The acute, keen intellect may take no special advantage of these qualities; the astute mind has always a point to make for itself, and seldom fails to make it. A knowing look, air, etc., in general indicates practical knowledge with a touch of shrewdness, and perhaps of cunning; in regard to some special matter, it indicates the possession of reserved knowledge which the person could impart if he chose. Knowing has often a slightly invidious sense. We speak of a knowing rascal, meaning cunning or shrewd within a narrow range, but of a knowing horse or dog, in the sense of sagacious, implying that he knows more than could be expected of such an animal. A knowing child has more knowledge than would be looked for at his years, perhaps more than is quite desirable, while to speak of a child as intelligent is altogether complimentary.

   Antonyms:
   blind, dull, idiotic, imbecile, shallow, short-sighted, stolid, stupid, undiscerning, unintelligent

   Synonyms:
   acute, astute, clear-sighted, crafty, cunning, discerning, discriminating, knowing, penetrating, penetrative, perspicacious, sagacious, sharp, shrewd, subtile, subtle

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. keen

   Antonyms:
   indifferent, languid, blunt, dull, blind

   Synonyms:
   eager, vehement, sharp, piercing, penetrating, acute, cutting, biting, severe, sarcastic, satirical, ardent, prompt, shrewd

Matched Categories

1. • Express Emotion

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:3.8 / 19 votes

1. keenadjective

   a funeral lament sung with loud wailing

   Antonyms:
   dull, unperceiving, mild, unperceptive, bad

2. acute, discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharpadjective

   having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

   "an acute observer of politics and politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike reasoning"; "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"; "penetrating insight"; "frequent penetrative observations"

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, mild, unperceiving, unperceptive

   Synonyms:
   intense, penetrative, discriminating, shrill, neat, sharp, shrewd, lancinating, nifty, sharp-worded, not bad(p), bang-up, astute, incisive, acuate, dandy, tart, smashing, cutting, bully, precipitous, needlelike, slap-up, abrupt, lancinate, knifelike, corking, exquisite, groovy, great, acute, piercing, penetrating, swell, cracking, crisp, stabbing, peachy

3. exquisite, keenadjective

   intense or sharp

   "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite pleasure"

   Antonyms:
   dull, unperceptive, mild, unperceiving, bad

   Synonyms:
   incisive, slap-up, cracking, neat, sharp, lancinating, dainty, cutting, swell, knifelike, great, nifty, not bad(p), discriminating, bang-up, smashing, groovy, acute, corking, penetrating, recherche, exquisite, lancinate, piercing, bully, dandy, peachy, stabbing, penetrative

4. bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(p), peachy, slap-up, swell, smashingadjective

   very good

   "he did a bully job"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing"

   Antonyms:
   dull, mild, unperceiving, unperceptive, bad

5. cutting, keen, knifelike, piercing, stabbing, lancinate, lancinatingadjective

   painful as if caused by a sharp instrument

   "a cutting wind"; "keen winds"; "knifelike cold"; "piercing knifelike pains"; "piercing cold"; "piercing criticism"; "a stabbing pain"; "lancinating pain"

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, unperceptive, unperceiving, mild

   Synonyms:
   slap-up, cracking, neat, sharp, lancinating, wounding, incisive, cutting, peachy, swell, knifelike, corking, bully, dandy, nifty, smashing, not bad(p), raw, discriminating, bang-up, acute, groovy, lancinate, stinging, edged, exquisite, penetrating, piercing, bleak, great, stabbing, penetrative

6. keenverb

   having a sharp cutting edge or point

   "a keen blade"

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, unperceptive, unperceiving, mild

   Synonyms:
   slap-up, cracking, neat, sharp, lancinating, incisive, cutting, swell, knifelike, great, nifty, not bad(p), discriminating, bang-up, smashing, groovy, acute, corking, penetrating, exquisite, lancinate, piercing, bully, dandy, peachy, stabbing, penetrative

7. lament, keenverb

   express grief verbally

   "we lamented the death of the child"

   Antonyms:
   dull, mild, bad, unperceiving, unperceptive

   Synonyms:
   lament, deplore, bemoan, bewail

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   sharp, acute, trenchant, penetrating, shrewd, astute, discerning, piercing, poignant, excruciating, a crimonious, mordacious, bitter, intense, severe, eager, ardent, ravenous, vehement

How to use keen in a sentence?

1. Duncan Clark:

   Jack Ma's keen to secure Jack Ma legacy. Jack Ma's not fully exiting the company. But this move is a smart way to leave on a high, to avoid being Icarus you have to... not only avoid flying too close to the sun, but also avoid crashing into the waves. So you have to still be ambitious. In philanthropy, education, environment he has plenty of room to soar yet. Areas where the government will be tolerant if not encouraging.

2. Shanghai GM President Wang Yongqing:

   In terms of new energy, we are keen on power efficiency and emission control and are ardent to go electrical throughout our portfolio.

3. George Eliot:

   If we had a keen vision of all that is ordinary in human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow or the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of that roar which is the other side of silence.

4. Ronan Sayburn:

   It's like having a computer analyze a piece of art, i don't know how keen people would be on following what a computer tells them to drink, based on what they had previously.

5. Steven Leung:

   Investors are keen on SJM in anticipation that it will become more aggressive in its business approach on the back of stronger control of the company and closer ties among its major shareholders.

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