1
as in sensitive
able to sense slight impressions or differences
pilots with especially keen eyesight
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2
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
the keen wind gave me chapped lips
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3
as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
lanced the boil with a keen scalpel
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4
as in quick
having or showing quickness of mind
readers who were keen enough to realize that the writer was being satirical
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5
as in excellent
of the very best kind
that new digital camera sure is keen
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6
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest
a keen hunger for fame and fortune in the fashion industry
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7
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
movies gave him keen enjoyment like nothing else
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as in wail
a crying out in grief
the loud keens of the widows were heard throughout the war-ravaged city
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1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
victims of the disaster have been keening for weeks about the slowness of governmental aid
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of keen
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
And keen observers might spot the outline of the standard XK140’s grille in the center of the Ghia’s grille.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 13 May 2026
New Atlas, 19 May 2026
The song finds Abstract continuing to explore the contours of indie and alternative rock, with a simmering lo-fi guitar riff that gives way to the uneasy keen of a synth.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023
Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
He’s been lauded for sounding like a vestige of another age — his supple, keening tenor the result of years of apprenticeship to the Pakistani artists Ustad Saami and Farida Khanum.
—Emily Lordi Philip Cheung, New York Times, 10 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for keen
Adjective
Its writer/director’s keen understanding that exposure and vulnerability are not the same thing.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
And keen observers might spot the outline of the standard XK140’s grille in the center of the Ghia’s grille.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 13 May 2026
Noun
The keen-eyed among our readers will notice that the ROG glasses are largely the same inside and out as the Xreal One Pro, which cost $649.
—New Atlas, 19 May 2026
The song finds Abstract continuing to explore the contours of indie and alternative rock, with a simmering lo-fi guitar riff that gives way to the uneasy keen of a synth.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023
Verb
The sport's powerhouse India did not want to host another event, with Zimbabwe - emerging as a destination for major tournaments - and Sri Lanka keen but bypassed for the UAE, a reliable alternative that doubles as headquarters for the sport's governing body.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
He’s been lauded for sounding like a vestige of another age — his supple, keening tenor the result of years of apprenticeship to the Pakistani artists Ustad Saami and Farida Khanum.
—Emily Lordi Philip Cheung, New York Times, 10 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for keen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keen
Adjective
-
Auditors typically treat unattributable privileged actions as accountability gaps, because the framework expects sensitive operations to trace back to an accountable individual rather than an autonomous system.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
In addition, some companies and governments may pair that with quantum key cryptography, particularly for highly sensitive information.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
-
The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Airy and breathable, these temperature-regulating pants feature an elastic waistband that’s quick and easy to pull on, and comfortable enough to wear for hours on busy travel days.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
-
Sharpen the service with a quick in-room tutorial on lights, a/c, curtains, and handy bedside tablet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Christopher Sanchez has once again been excellent, and Jacob Misiorowski has often looked unhittable with over 14 strikeouts per nine innings.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
The excellent, nonprofit gallery and incubator known as PlatteForum has moved around a bit over the years, and will reopen in the Art District on Santa Fe starting June 5.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
These customer success stories have got investors excited.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
A lot of kids were excited to see the live painting, because now kids are used to being on their phones.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
There is a brightness and its opposite, not darkness but another brightness, just as intense.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
-
Paxton voters are more intense in their contempt for Cornyn than vice versa.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Her wails of pain were audible on TV broadcasts as medics tended to her before a helicopter finally carried her away.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
6 May 2026
-
Within moments, a smoke detector wails.—
Cyrus Farivar,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Cassidy also complained that a new primary system enacted last year confused voters by requiring them to ask for a partisan ballot instead of the all-party primary previously in place.—
Thomas Beaumont,
Fortune,
17 May 2026
-
So, what Rodriguez and Cohen Higgins are complaining about is what happens four and five years or even ten years down the line.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Keen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keen. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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