Eager vs. Keen
Difference Between Eager and Keen
Eageradjective
Having or showing keen interest, intense desire, or impatient expectancy. See Usage Note at anxious.
Keenadjective
Having a fine, sharp cutting edge or point.
Eageradjective
(Obsolete) Tart; sharp; cutting.
Keenadjective
Having or marked by intellectual quickness and acuity.
Eagernoun
Variant of eagre.
Keenadjective
Acutely sensitive
a keen ear.Eagernoun
See tidal bore.
Keenadjective
Sharp; vivid; strong
"His entire body hungered for keen sensation, something exciting" (Richard Wright).Eageradjective
(obsolete) Sharp; sour; acid.
Keenadjective
Intense or bracing
a keen wind.Eageradjective
(obsolete) Sharp; keen; bitter; severe.
Keenadjective
Pungent; acrid
A keen smell of skunk was left behind.Eageradjective
Desirous; keen to do or obtain something.
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.Keenadjective
Ardent; enthusiastic
a keen chess player.Eageradjective
Brittle; inflexible; not ductile.
Keenadjective
Eagerly desirous
keen on going to Europe in the spring.Eageradjective
(comptheory) Not employing lazy evaluation; calculating results immediately, rather than deferring calculation until they are required.
an eager algorithmKeenadjective
(Slang) Great; splendid; fine
What a keen day!.Eagernoun
alternative form of eagre(tidal bore).
Keennoun
A loud wailing or lament for the dead.
Eagernoun
a high wave (often dangerous) caused by tidal flow (as by colliding tidal currents or in a narrow estuary)
Keenverb
To wail in lamentation, especially for the dead.
Eageradjective
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy;
eager to learneager to travel abroadeager for successeager helpersan eager lookKeenadjective
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 about computers.He is keen for help.She’s keen to learn another language.“Do you want to go on holiday with me?” / “Yes, I’m keen.”Eageradjective
marked by active interest and enthusiasm;
an avid sports fana great walkeran eager beaverKeenadjective
Fierce, intense, vehement.
This boy has a keen appetite.Keenadjective
Having a fine edge or point; sharp.
Keenadjective
Acute of mind, having or expressing mental acuteness; penetrating, sharp.
Keenadjective
Acrimonious, bitter, piercing.
keen satire or sarcasmKeenadjective
Of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating, piercing, sharp.
a keen windthe cold is very keenKeenadjective
(Britain) Extremely low as to be competitive.
keen pricesKeenadjective
Marvelous.
I just got this peachy keen new dress.Keenadjective
(obsolete) Brave, courageous; audacious, bold.
Keenverb
To make cold, to sharpen.
Keenverb
(intransitive) To utter a keen.
Keenverb
(transitive) To utter with a loud wailing voice or wordless cry.
Keenverb
(transitive) To mourn.
Keennoun
A prolonged wail for a deceased person.
Keennoun
a funeral lament sung with loud wailing
Keenverb
express grief verbally;
we lamented the death of the childKeenadjective
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions;
an acute observer of politics and politiciansincisive commentsicy knifelike reasoningas sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fangpenetrating insightfrequent penetrative observationsKeenadjective
intense or sharp;
suffered exquisite painfelt exquisite pleasureKeenadjective
very penetrating and clear and sharp in operation;
an incisive minda keen intelligenceof sharp and active intellectKeenadjective
very good;
he did a bully joba neat sports carhad a great time at the partyyou look simply smashingKeenadjective
as physically painful as if caused by a sharp instrument;
a cutting windkeen windsknifelike coldpiercing knifelike painspiercing coldpiercing criticisma stabbing painlancinating painKeenadjective
having a sharp cutting edge or point;
a keen blade
