Synonyms 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.

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

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

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

1. keen

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

   Antonyms:
   indifferent, languid, blunt, dull, blind

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms: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"

   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

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, mild, unperceiving, unperceptive

3. exquisite, keenadjective

   intense or sharp

   "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite pleasure"

   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

   Antonyms:
   dull, unperceptive, mild, unperceiving, bad

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"

   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

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, unperceptive, unperceiving, mild

6. keenverb

   having a sharp cutting edge or point

   "a keen blade"

   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

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, unperceptive, unperceiving, mild

7. lament, keenverb

   express grief verbally

   "we lamented the death of the child"

   Synonyms:
   lament, deplore, bemoan, bewail

   Antonyms:
   dull, mild, bad, unperceiving, unperceptive

Matched Categories

1. • Express Emotion

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   eager, zealous, ardent, earnest, fervid, vehement

2. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   sharp, acute, with a fine edge

3. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   piercing, penetrating, cutting

4. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   severe, bitter, poignant, acrimonious, caustic

5. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   shrewd, discerning, quick, sagacious, astute, keen-sighted, keen-eyed, clear-sighted, long-headed

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

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "keen":

   anxious, eager, enthusiastic, willing, fierce, vivo, ardent, fervent, interested, intense, acute, desirous, passionate, strong

Suggested Resources

1. keen

   Song lyrics by keen -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by keen on the Lyrics.com website.

2. KEEN

   What does KEEN stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the KEEN acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

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How to use keen in a sentence?

1. Tihomir Oreskovic:

   Sometimes our opinions differ and we can have unpleasant discussions, but it doesn't mean they are not healthy, i don't even think about an early election as we have a lot of jobs ahead of us and all the ministers are aware of it and keen to focus on work.

2. Steve Brusatte:

   The ancestors of T. rex would have looked a whole lot like Timurlengia, a horse-sized hunter with a big brain and keen hearing that would put us to shame, only after these ancestral tyrannosaurs evolved their clever brains and sharp senses did they grow into the colossal sizes of T. rex. Tyrannosaurs had to get smart before they got big.

3. Selahattin Demirtas:

   So if it takes 2 days to destroy Syria then it would take 1 hour for Tunisia and 28 minutes for Norway. Only China would stall us for 6 days. (On the quote of EU minister Egemen Bagis: "If we were so keen on war we could destroy Syria. Our military provess is capable of destroying Syria in a few hours")

4. Lata Mangeshkar:

   I was very keen to become a classical singer. But when I began work, I had so many responsibilities that I could not pay attention to classical music. I did not have time to practice.

5. Anne Maricich:

   CBP officers are the front-line of stopping these types of dangerous drugs from entering into the U.S., i am proud of our officers, and as a result of their keen awareness and collaborative efforts, these narcotics will not reach our communities.