Advertisement
Advertisement
keen
1[ keen ]
adjective
- finely sharpened, as an edge; so shaped as to cut or pierce substances readily:
a keen razor.
Antonyms:
- sharp, piercing, or biting:
a keen wind;
keen satire.
Synonyms: , ,
- characterized by strength and distinctness of perception; extremely sensitive or responsive:
keen eyes;
keen ears.
Synonyms: , ,
- having or showing great mental penetration or acumen:
keen reasoning;
a keen mind.
Synonyms: , , , , ,
Antonyms: ,
- animated by or showing strong feeling or desire:
keen competition.
- intense, as feeling or desire:
keen ambition;
keen jealousy.
She is really keen on going swimming.
Synonyms: ,
keen
2[ keen ]
noun
- a wailing lament for the dead.
verb (used without object)
- to wail in lamentation for the dead.
verb (used with object)
- to mourn for by or with such keening or wailing:
keening his mother while kneeling at her grave.
keen
1/ 쾱ː /
adjective
- eager or enthusiastic
- postpositivefoll byon fond (of); devoted (to)
keen on golf
keen on a girl
- intellectually acute
a keen wit
- (of sight, smell, hearing, etc) capable of recognizing fine distinctions
- having a sharp cutting edge or point
- extremely cold and penetrating
a keen wind
- intense or strong
a keen desire
- extremely low so as to be competitive
keen prices
- slang.very good
keen
2/ 쾱ː /
verb
- to lament the dead
noun
- a dirge or lament for the dead
Derived Forms
- ˈԲԱ, noun
- ˈԱ, adverb
- ˈԱ, noun
Other Word Forms
- · adverb
- ·Ա noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of keen1
Origin of keen2
Word History and Origins
Origin of keen1
Origin of keen2
Example Sentences
Reform UK wants to show they can knock a brick out of Labour's so-called "red wall", with Nigel Farage keen to prove the party's electoral credibility with a win in the North West of England.
She has a keen sensitivity toward McPherson’s religious beliefs and wide knowledge of the times in which she lived.
Now Ukraine is keen to broaden its pool of international partners - particularly in Africa where many countries have strong links with Russia.
"I gave him the book and said the author was 'very keen that you might have this'," he said.
Both are passionate about using the power of sport to inspire, with Yee now keen to utilise his platform as Olympic champion.
Advertisement
More About Keen
doeskeen mean?
Keen commonly means eager, interested, or enthusiastic. This sense of the word is often followed by about or on and the particular interest, as in He’s very keen on music.
More generally, keen means sharp, intense, or strong. It can be used to mean sharp in a literal way, as in a keen blade. It can also be used in several figurative ways. A keen sense of smell is one that’s very strong and perceptive. A keen intellect is one that’s sharp in the sense of being mentally strong. A keen desire is an intense one. A keen satire and a keen wind are both piercing and biting—they both sting.
The word keen can also be used as a slang term meaning wonderful or splendid, and this is how it’s used in the phrase peachy keen, which is used as an informal and playful way to describe something as excellent or wonderful.
Example: He showed keen jealousy over my keen knife.
Where doeskeen come from?
The first records of the word keen in English come from before 900. It comes from the Old English word ŧԱ and is related to the Old Norse ղԲ, meaning “wise, skillful.” Keen wasn’t used in a slang way to mean “excellent” until the 1900s.
Keen can be used in a number of different ways, but most of them involve enthusiasm, intensity, or (literal or figurative) sharpness. When keen is used to describe something sharp—like a knife or a mind—its opposite can be dull in either sense of the word. If you’re keen to do something, it means you’re excited about it—you can’t wait. If you’re not keen on something, it means you’re not interested in it or enthusiastic about it.
Did you know ... ?
are some other forms related to keen?
- keenly (adverb)
- keenness (noun)
are some synonyms for keen?
are some words that share a root or word element with keen?
are some words that often get used in discussing keen?
How iskeen used in real life?
Keen can be used in many different contexts. It’s more commonly used in the U.K. than the U.S.
Poll: Nashville generally supports incentives, not as keen on Music City Center
— Tennessean (@Tennessean)
Turkey Vultures are carrion feeders which keep the countryside clean — they have a keen sense of smell and can locate remains from a mile away.
— Nebraska Game and Parks (@NEGameandParks)
Scientists have learned a lot from Yellowstone wolves over the past 25 years. For instance, they aren’t so keen on the term “alphas” to describe a pack’s dominant pair anymore. A more appropriate term might be leaders or parents.
— Wolf Conservation Center (@nywolforg)
Try usingkeen!
Which of the following things could be described as keen?
A. a sharp blade
B. a strong sense of hearing
C. an enthusiastic person
D. all of the above
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse