Difference Between
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Eager vs. Keen: Know the Difference

Shumaila Saeed
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Eager" implies an enthusiastic and impatient desire to do something, while "keen" suggests a sharp, intense, or excited interest in something.
Eager vs. Keen

Key Differences

Emotional Intensity: Eager often conveys a sense of enthusiastic anticipation or impatience for something, while keen implies a more intense, focused interest or enthusiasm.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 19, 2023
Eager is commonly used to describe a strong desire or readiness to perform an action or participate in something, whereas keen might indicate a more profound or intellectually engaged interest.
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Nov 19, 2023
Eager may carry a more emotional or impatient tone, showing a strong personal desire, while keen often reflects a sharp, enthusiastic, and sometimes more thoughtful engagement with something.
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Nov 19, 2023
In practical situations, being eager might involve a readiness or impatience to act, while being keen could denote a deeper, more sustained interest or expertise.
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Nov 19, 2023
Eager is often perceived as more immediate and emotional, while keen can be seen as more enduring and intellectually oriented.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 19, 2023
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Comparison Chart

Emotional Tone

Often conveys impatience and enthusiasm.
Suggests sharp, intense interest.
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Nov 19, 2023

Context of Use

Used to express readiness or desire to act.
Indicates depth of interest or expertise.
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Nov 19, 2023

Duration of Feeling

May imply a more transient desire.
Often denotes a more sustained interest.
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Nov 19, 2023

Connotation

More emotionally driven desire.
Intellectual or focused enthusiasm.
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Common Usage

"Eager to learn" shows readiness to engage.
"Keen understanding" indicates depth of knowledge.
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Nov 19, 2023
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Eager and Keen Definitions

Eager

Eager conveys a zealous or avid interest in something.
They were eager participants in the debate.
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Keen

Keen suggests enthusiasm combined with expertise.
They are keen birdwatchers.
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Nov 19, 2023

Eager

Eager implies enthusiasm and a strong desire to do something.
She was eager to start her new job.
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Nov 19, 2023

Keen

Having a fine, sharp cutting edge or point.
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Oct 19, 2023

Eager

Having or showing keen interest, intense desire, or impatient expectancy. See Usage Note at anxious.
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Keen

Having or marked by intellectual quickness and acuity.
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Eager

(Obsolete) Tart; sharp; cutting.
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Keen

Acutely sensitive
A keen ear.
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Eager

Variant of eagre.
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Keen

Sharp; vivid; strong
"His entire body hungered for keen sensation, something exciting" (Richard Wright).
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Eager

See tidal bore.
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Keen

Intense or bracing
A keen wind.
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Eager

Desirous; keen to do or obtain something.
Stacey is very eager to go cycling this weekend.
The hounds were eager in the chase.
I was eager to show my teacher how much I'd learned over the holidays.
You stayed up all night to get to the front of the queue. You must be very eager to get tickets.
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Keen

Pungent; acrid
A keen smell of skunk was left behind.
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Eager

(comptheory) Not employing lazy evaluation; calculating results immediately, rather than deferring calculation until they are required.
An eager algorithm
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Keen

Ardent; enthusiastic
A keen chess player.
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Eager

(dated) Brittle; inflexible; not ductile.
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Keen

Eagerly desirous
Keen on going to Europe in the spring.
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Eager

Sharp; sour; acid.
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Keen

(Slang) Great; splendid; fine
What a keen day!.
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Eager

Sharp; keen; bitter; severe.
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Keen

A loud wailing or lament for the dead.
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Eager

Alternative form of eagre(tidal bore).
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Keen

To wail in lamentation, especially for the dead.
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Eager

Sharp; sour; acid.
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Keen

Often with a prepositional phrase, or with to and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested.
I’m keen on computers.
She’s keen to learn another language.
“Do you want to go on holiday with me?”   “Yes, I’m keen.”
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Oct 19, 2023

Eager

Sharp; keen; bitter; severe.
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Keen

Fierce, intense, vehement.
This boy has a keen appetite.
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Oct 19, 2023

Eager

Excited by desire in the pursuit of any object; ardent to pursue, perform, or obtain; keenly desirous; hotly longing; earnest; zealous; impetuous; vehement; as, the hounds were eager in the chase.
And gazed for tidings in my eager eyes.
How eagerly ye follow my disgraces!
When to her eager lips is broughtHer infant's thrilling kiss.
A crowd of eager and curious schoolboys.
Conceit and grief an eager combat fight.
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Oct 19, 2023

Keen

Having a fine edge or point; sharp.
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Oct 19, 2023

Eager

Brittle; inflexible; not ductile.
Gold will be sometimes so eager, as artists call it, that it will as little endure the hammer as glass itself.
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Oct 19, 2023

Keen

Acute of mind, having or expressing mental acuteness; penetrating, sharp.
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Oct 19, 2023

Eager

Same as Eagre.
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Keen

Acrimonious, bitter, piercing.
Keen satire or sarcasm
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Eager

A high wave (often dangerous) caused by tidal flow (as by colliding tidal currents or in a narrow estuary)
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Keen

Of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating, piercing, sharp.
A keen wind
The cold is very keen
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Eager

Having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy;
Eager to learn
Eager to travel abroad
Eager for success
Eager helpers
An eager look
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Keen

(Britain) Of prices, extremely low as to be competitive.
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Eager

Marked by active interest and enthusiasm;
An avid sports fan
A great walker
An eager beaver
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Keen

Marvelous.
I just got this peachy keen new dress.
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Oct 19, 2023

Eager

Eager denotes an impatient longing or yearning.
He was eager for the concert to begin.
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Keen

(obsolete) Brave, courageous; audacious, bold.
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Eager

Eager suggests an ardent and enthusiastic readiness.
She was eager to share her ideas.
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Nov 19, 2023

Keen

To make cold, to sharpen.
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Eager

Eager expresses a keen desire or enthusiasm to act.
He was eager to help with the project.
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Keen

(transitive) To utter with a loud wailing voice or wordless cry.
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Keen

(transitive) To mourn.
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Keen

A prolonged wail for a deceased person.
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Keen

Sharp; having a fine edge or point; as, a keen razor, or a razor with a keen edge.
A bow he bare and arwes [arrows] bright and kene.
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes.
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Keen

Acute of mind; sharp; penetrating; having or expressing mental acuteness; as, a man of keen understanding; a keen look; keen features.
To make our wits more keen.
Before the keen inquiry of her thought.
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Keen

Bitter; piercing; acrimonious; cutting; stinging; severe; as, keen satire or sarcasm.
Good father cardinal, cry thou amenTo my keen curses.
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Keen

Piercing; penetrating; cutting; sharp; - applied to cold, wind, etc.; as, a keen wind; the cold is very keen.
Breasts the keen air, and carols as he goes.
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Keen

Eager; vehement; fierce; as, a keen appetite.
So keen and greedy to confound a man.
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Keen

Wonderful; delightful; marvelous; as, that would be keen.
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Keen

To sharpen; to make cold.
Cold winter keens the brightening flood.
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Keen

To wail as a keener does.
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Keen

A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach.
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Keen

A funeral lament sung with loud wailing
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Keen

Express grief verbally;
We lamented the death of the child
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Keen

Having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions;
An acute observer of politics and politicians
Incisive comments
Icy knifelike reasoning
As sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang
Penetrating insight
Frequent penetrative observations
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Keen

Intense or sharp;
Suffered exquisite pain
Felt exquisite pleasure
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Keen

Very penetrating and clear and sharp in operation;
An incisive mind
A keen intelligence
Of sharp and active intellect
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Oct 19, 2023

Keen

Very good;
He did a bully job
A neat sports car
Had a great time at the party
You look simply smashing
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Keen

As physically painful as if caused by a sharp instrument;
A cutting wind
Keen winds
Knifelike cold
Piercing knifelike pains
Piercing cold
Piercing criticism
A stabbing pain
Lancinating pain
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Keen

Having a sharp cutting edge or point;
A keen blade
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Oct 19, 2023

Keen

Keen implies a sharp, intense, or enthusiastic interest.
She has a keen interest in history.
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Nov 19, 2023

Keen

Keen denotes an acute perception or discernment.
He demonstrated a keen understanding of the problem.
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Nov 19, 2023

Keen

Keen conveys an eager and intelligent enthusiasm.
She showed a keen awareness of social issues.
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Nov 19, 2023

Keen

Keen expresses a sharp eagerness or avidity.
He was keen to learn new languages.
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Nov 19, 2023

Repeatedly Asked Queries

What does eager mean?

Enthusiastic and impatient desire to do something.
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Nov 19, 2023

Can eager and keen be used interchangeably?

Sometimes, but keen often implies a more focused intensity.
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Nov 19, 2023

Does keen always imply expertise?

Not always, but it often suggests depth of knowledge or interest.
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Nov 19, 2023

What does keen mean?

Sharp, intense interest in something.
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Nov 19, 2023

Can someone be eager but not keen?

Yes, one can be eager (enthusiastic) without being keenly interested or expert.
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Nov 19, 2023

Can eagerness turn into keenness over time?

Yes, initial eagerness can develop into a keen interest.
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Nov 19, 2023

Is eager more emotional than keen?

Generally, yes, eager is often more emotionally charged.
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Nov 19, 2023

Is eager more about the future, and keen about the present?

Eager often anticipates future action, while keen can denote current interest.
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Nov 19, 2023

Is eager used more in emotional contexts?

Often, eager is associated with more emotionally driven scenarios.
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Nov 19, 2023

Can someone be keenly aware without being eager?

Yes, one can have a keen understanding without eagerness to act.
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Nov 19, 2023

Do eager and keen have different connotations in a work setting?

Yes, eager may imply readiness to work, while keen can suggest a deep interest in the work.
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Nov 19, 2023

Do age and experience affect the use of eager vs. keen?

Possibly, as keen may suggest more mature or informed enthusiasm.
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Nov 19, 2023

Can keen imply a sense of sharpness or acuity?

Yes, keen often denotes sharpness in perception or understanding.
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Nov 19, 2023

Can someone be described as keenly eager?

Yes, combining the terms can express intense enthusiasm and interest.
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Nov 19, 2023

Does the context change the use of eager vs. keen?

Context can influence their use, especially in terms of depth or type of interest.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 19, 2023

Is keen a stronger word than eager?

Keen can imply a deeper, more intense interest.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 19, 2023

How do eager and keen differ in expressing interest?

Eager is more about eagerness to act, while keen is about depth of interest.
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Nov 19, 2023

Is eager more common in casual conversation?

It can be, as eager is often used in everyday emotional expressions.
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Nov 19, 2023

Are there any synonyms that closely match eager and keen?

Enthusiastic for eager; sharp or intense for keen.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 19, 2023

Do eager and keen have different origins?

Yes, their etymological roots differ, reflecting their nuanced meanings.
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Nov 19, 2023

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Shumaila Saeed
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Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.

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