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
Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Browning butter is simple to do but requires a watchful eye and keen senses.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
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
Washington, of course, would come to be remembered for his restraint—his reluctance to take power, his keen awareness of his own stature, and his willingness to step away after two terms.
—Noun
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.
—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.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for keen
Adjective
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The commission said the report overlooks other time-sensitive cases that don't require intake appointments.—
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Cold conditions may damage or kill sensitive crops, plants, and vegetation if appropriate precautions are not taken.—
Adjective
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Morbidly Jewish finds Raanan at his most biting, acerbic, angry, Jewish, and, as always…loud.—
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The conservative activist’s 42-minute video posted the day after Christmas quickly spread, prompting stepped up immigration enforcement, frozen federal funds and more biting rhetoric against the Somali community from President Donald Trump.—
Adjective
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As Beck spoke on the crowded field afterward, Cristobal swept past and stopped for quick bear hug.—
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Most people drive up a Forest Service Road for quicker access, putting them at the beginning of a two-mile out-and-back trail with roughly 2,500 feet of elevation gain.—
Adjective
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But the Red Sox destroyed and ended their relationship with their only true power hitter and proven winner for a player who, though an undeniably excellent addition, was here for 117 total games.—
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Transition metal fluorides are widely regarded as promising cathode materials because of their high theoretical voltages and excellent thermal stability.—
Adjective
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Scherzinger glowed with an excited expression, her arms raised again in the air.—
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A lot of us are excited to refresh our spaces in the new year.—
Adjective
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Fan Kelly Terzis described her feelings as intense sadness and grief, but also gratitude.—
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The study made a significant contribution, if not clarification, to this academic niche — medieval migration wasn’t seasonal, nor sporadic and intense.—
Noun
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With the band mostly back together, the Minnesota Wild made the goal horn wail enough for their seventh straight win on Saturday.—
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The ear-splitting wails came from a little girl trying to get the star’s attention.—
Verb
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Later, the state spent $6 million to seal the brick building, after state workers complained of respiratory ailments and asthma.—
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Although older drivers are certainly more sensitive to nocturnal blasts of light, drivers in their 20s and 30s also complained about the overall brightness of some vehicles.—
Cite this Entry
“Keen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keen. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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