Antonyms for keener
| Grammar : Adj |
| Spell : keen |
| Phonetic Transcription : kin |
Definition of keener
Origin :- c.1200, from Old English cene "bold brave," later "clever, wise," from Proto-Germanic *kan- "be able to" (see can). Original prehistoric senses seem to have been both "brave" and "skilled;" cognate with Old Norse kænn "skillful, wise," Middle Dutch coene "bold," Dutch koen, Old High German kuon "pugnacious, strong," German kühn "bold, daring." Sense of "eager" is from mid-14c. The meaning "sharp" is peculiar to English: of blades and edges early 13c., of sounds c.1400, of eyesight c.1720. A popular word of approval in teenager and student slang from c.1900.
- adj enthusiastic
- adj sharp, piercing
- adj intelligent
- The keener the competition, the greater the honor of success.
- Extract from : « The Story of the Malakand Field Force » by Sir Winston S. Churchill
- That I could elude Rima's keener eyes I doubted; but that did not trouble me.
- Extract from : « Green Mansions » by W. H. Hudson
- But he was man enough to look at her with a keener interest than he had felt before.
- Extract from : « Good Indian » by B. M. Bower
- It helped him to a clearer and keener perception of the place assigned him by the family.
- Extract from : « Little Dorrit » by Charles Dickens
- Unhappy is that man, of necessity, whose perceptions are keener than his faith is strong.
- Extract from : « A Dish Of Orts » by George MacDonald
- Moreover, he had grown to take a keener interest now in the affairs of the home.
- Extract from : « Cleo The Magnificent » by Louis Zangwill
- And as his health returned, he hungered for keener sensations.
- Extract from : « Abbe Mouret's Transgression » by Emile Zola
- No kite ever pursued its quarry with a keener eye than we did.
- Extract from : « Captain Brand of the "Centipede" » by H. A. (Henry Augustus) Wise
- That might very well be, for the duller often sees better than the keener eye.
- Extract from : « The Republic » by Plato
- And is there any greater or keener pleasure than that of sensual love?
- Extract from : « The Republic » by Plato
Synonyms for keener
- acid
- acute
- agog
- alert
- animate
- animated
- anxious
- appetent
- ardent
- astute
- athirst
- avid
- breathless
- bright
- brilliant
- canny
- caustic
- clever
- cutting
- devoted
- discerning
- discriminating
- dying to
- eager
- earnest
- ebullient
- edged
- Einstein
- extreme
- fervent
- fervid
- fierce
- fine
- fond of
- gung ho
- honed
- impassioned
- impatient
- incisive
- intense
- intent
- interested
- lively
- nobody's fool
- observant
- penetrating
- perceptive
- perfervid
- perspicacious
- pointed
- quick
- quick-witted
- razor-sharp
- sagacious
- sapient
- sardonic
- satirical
- sensitive
- sharp
- sharp as a tack
- shrewd
- spirited
- sprightly
- strong
- tart
- thirsty
- trenchant
- unblunted
- vehement
- vivacious
- warm
- whiz
- wise
- zealous
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019