keenness

noun

Definition of keennessnext
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

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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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for keenness
  1. enthusiasm
  2. intelligence
  3. bite
  4. thirst
  5. wit
  6. sensitivity
  7. edge
  8. appetite
Noun
  • After a standoff between Indian and Chinese troops on the border in 2017, New Delhi moved to revive the Quad despite not showing much enthusiasm when the partnership was founded in 2007.
    Harsh V. Pant, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Despite meeting more than 10 external leaders, the CEO ultimately promoted their operations director due to a long-standing, trusting relationship and the internal candidate’s sincere enthusiasm for the role.
    Gina Riley, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of enthusiasm
Noun
  • Today, such a contest would be made all the more unpredictable given the complexity and ambiguity of measuring progress toward something so abstract as intelligence.
    Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
  • The second episode illustrates the scope of the resources and intelligence operation required to identify and attempt to hunt him down.
    Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024
Definition of intelligence
Noun
  • More:Austin set to clamp down on release of dogs with severe bite history from city custody Police then went to the men's home in Cameron and searched a freezer and found the bodies of small-breed dogs, the affidavit said.
    Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Funnel-web spiders collected for the Sydney zoo are used to create the antivenom used to treat the spider's dangerous bite Comments A zoo in Australia is enlisting the public's help to catch and collect deadly funnel-web spiders to save lives.
    Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
Definition of bite
Noun
  • Fans seemingly gave up on asking for the J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar collaborative project that had been rumored for years, but the Dreamville leader might have reignited that thirst.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 26 Nov. 2024
  • But more than just his talents with a brush, the film’s Greek chorus of experts from artistic and theological corners of the world reinforce the belief that da Vinci was also one of mankind’s greatest thinkers with an insatiable thirst for knowledge.
    Hunter Ingram for Variety, ARTnews.com, 21 Nov. 2024
Definition of thirst
Noun
  • With sly wit and improbable empathy, the show simultaneously scrutinizes the arrogance of the traditional medical establishment and the presumptions and false promises of the wellness industry.
    Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
  • Even when her efforts didn’t pay off, the sharpness of her wit and her talent for character building were still rewarding to watch.
    Ilana Kaplan, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2024
Definition of wit
Noun
  • The setup process guides the listener through a calibration process that fine-tunes the audio output based on the sensitivity of each ear.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
  • This part of the label is extremely important for identifying food allergens and sensitivities.
    Jonathan Purtell, Verywell Health, 25 Nov. 2024
Definition of sensitivity
Noun
  • Greg Alder has had great success growing raspberries on the eastern edge of large trees.
    Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Ribbons marked the edge of the area that will be logged.
    April Ehrlich, ProPublica, 12 Nov. 2024
Definition of edge
Noun
  • All the biggest topics in the world, Americans have an appetite for a little bit of information.
    Tracy Wright, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024
  • The court has shown little appetite for pursuing charges against regimes like Bashar al-Assad's in Syria, where civilians were gassed, or against figures in Iran's leadership, despite their violent crackdowns on protesters and criminal regional proxy wars.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
Definition of appetite
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near keenness

keenly

keenness

keens

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Cite this Entry

“Keenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keenness. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on keenness

Nglish: Translation of keenness for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of keenness for Arabic Speakers

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