Synonyms for keen
kin

Princeton's WordNet(3.83 / 19 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. keen(adj)

   a funeral lament sung with loud wailing

   Antonyms:
   dull, unperceiving, mild, unperceptive, bad

2. acute, discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharp(adj)

   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, keen(adj)

   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, smashing(adj)

   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, lancinating(adj)

   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. keen(verb)

   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, keen(verb)

   express grief verbally

   "we lamented the death of the child"

   Synonyms:
   lament, deplore, bemoan, bewail

   Antonyms:
   dull, mild, bad, unperceiving, unperceptive

English Synonyms and Antonyms(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

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 Antonyms(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. keen

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

   Antonyms:
   indifferent, languid, blunt, dull, blind

Dictionary of English Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. keen(a.)

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

2. keen(a.)

   Synonyms:
   sharp, acute, with a fine edge

3. keen(a.)

   Synonyms:
   piercing, penetrating, cutting

4. keen(a.)

   Synonyms:
   severe, bitter, poignant, acrimonious, caustic

5. keen(a.)

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

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. keen(a)

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

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

1. List of paraphrases for "keen":

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

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How to use keen in a sentence?

1. Guy Thomas:

   My gut feeling says there are a lot of forces out there -- especially European vested interests -- that were never keen on November and December matches, so will quite happily use this to try and displace Qatar 2022.

2. Chrystia Freeland:

   Were not the first country to find itself in this situation with China and the Chinese practice seems to be to avoid in the early stages of these kinds of standoffs, to avoid higher level meanings, i have sought repeatedly a meeting with the Wang Yi, the foreign minister, my counterpart. Thus far that meeting hasnt happened. But if Chinese officials are listening to us today, let me repeat that I would be very, very keen to meet with Minister Wang Yi or to speak with him over the phone at the earliest opportunity.

3. Bill Clinton:

   He came from privilege, but he understood the aspirations of farmers and factory workers and forgotten Americans, his was an open, American spirit with a fine sense for the possible and a keen appreciation of the art of leadership. He was a master politician and a magnificent commander-in-chief.

4. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam:

   They are preparing for the conversations with EPA, we obviously have a keen interest in getting their legal issues solved so they can go back to selling cars.

5. Zhao Yang:

   We are keen to implement the proposed Ganges Barrage Project. Funding could be managed with government-to-government negotiations.

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