Synonyms for keen
kinkeen

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

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

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 Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

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 Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

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 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. Maple Leafs:

   For those of us who were lucky enough to have known or encountered Red, we will all miss his sharp mind and keen intellect, he was a gentle man but a fierce competitor.

2. Aaron Clarey:

   So do yourself and all men across the world a favor. Not only REFUSE to see the movie, but spread the word to as many men as possible. Not all of them have the keen eye we do here at (Return of Kings.) And most will be taken in by fire tornadoes and explosions. Because if they sheepishly attend and Fury Road is a blockbuster, then you, me, and all the other men (and real women) in the world will never be able to see a real action movie ever again that doesn't contain some damn political lecture or moray about feminism, SJW-ing, and socialism.

3. Benjamin Brafman:

   While his keen 'intellect' can at times be intimidating to mere mortals, nothing else about (Shkreli) is intimidating at all.

4. Sophie LaMontagne:

   We grew up in Canada. We were born and raised there, and we grew up, you know, watching Princess Diana. We've always had a keen interest in the royal family every since we were little girls.

5. Melanie Curtis:

   They had a finance deal lined up which was very satisfactory before (the vote), the terms have gotten harder now, they are not particularly keen on them. I don't think they would go ahead on that basis.