1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
the keenness of the knife should tell you that it was sharpened recently a writer famous for the keenness of her wit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enthusiasm
urgent desire or interest
was looking forward to his birthday party with the keenness of a youngster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intelligence
exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters
had the financial keenness to know that the stock was overvalued
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sensitiveness
the state or quality of being able to sense slight impressions or differences
there's an enhanced keenness of hearing that young mothers seem to develop
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keenness
Noun
-
The unexpected uptick in inflation could dampen some of the business enthusiasm that arose after Trump's election on promises to reduce regulation and cut taxes.—
CHRISTOPHER RUGABER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
13 Feb. 2025 -
Many of the nation’s sheriffs have responded with enthusiasm.—
Eileen Sullivan,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
John Sawers, a former head of the British intelligence service, said there were risks to undertaking such an operation.—
Yan Zhuang,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2025
-
In fact, gas prices have increased 60% in the African nation over the last six months as Dangote’s refinery has ramped up production, according to market intelligence firm Trading Economics.—
John Hyatt,
Forbes,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
One bite and your neighbors may never try a frozen version again.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2025
-
To the naked eye, the moon should look like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
This sort of implicit address to the work’s spectators, and to their unquenchable thirst for more, also crops up in some of the photographer’s graver pictures.—
Naomi Fry,
The New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2025
-
After 14 days isolated below, Collins died of thirst, hunger and hypothermia.—
Dave Quinn,
People.com,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Rosebud Baker is an actor, writer and comedian who somehow manages to blend dark humor and sharp wit, all while wearing the face of an angel.—
Ali Lerman,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Pickard, known for his good nature and quick wit, was the most common answer.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Imagine living within the confines of four walls mostly in silence because of brain fog and sound sensitivity.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Now, researchers at OHSU have developed a blood test that can identify early-stage pancreatic cancer with high sensitivity and specificity.—
Michael Irving,
New Atlas,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The Pirates got to almost every loose ball and played with an edge that was nowhere to be found for the Huskies.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2025
-
There was a pervasive sense of indignation from current and former European officials, who have funneled significant aid to Ukraine and are deeply worried about how a ceasefire deal could impact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) eastern edge.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Additionally, the appetite for Spanish content, especially from Atresmedia, remains high, and international audiences continue to embrace our productions.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Symptoms in cats include fever, low appetite, lethargy, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from eyes and nose, and difficulty breathing.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
24 Feb. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Keenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keenness. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share