Meaning & use
keen
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableBritish
Very eager, interested, or enthusiastic about something.
Grammar: Common patterns are keen to do and, especially British, keen on something.
Patterns
- be keen to do something
- be keen on something/someone
- keen for something to happen
The students were keen to begin the experiment.
She is keen on old maps and prints.
adjectivebefore a noun
Very sharp or sensitive, especially of sight, hearing, smell, or intelligence.
Grammar: Usually attributive before the noun: a keen eye, keen hearing.
Patterns
- keen eyesight
- keen hearing
- a keen eye for something
Hawks have keen eyesight for spotting movement.
A keen ear for rhythm helps in language learning.
adjectivebefore a nounliteraryold-fashioned
Sharply edged; cutting well.
Grammar: Literary or old-fashioned for blades; modern everyday English usually prefers sharp.
Patterns
- a keen blade
- keen edge
The knife had a keen edge but a worn handle.
In the poem, a keen blade flashes in the moonlight.
adjectivebefore a nounBritishbusiness
Intense, strong, or highly competitive.
Grammar: Attributive in phrases like keen competition or keen prices; more common in British business English.
Patterns
- keen competition
- keen prices
- keen demand
There is keen competition for places in the program.
The store attracts buyers with keen prices.
Word forms
| comparative | keener |
|---|---|
| superlative | keenest |
Common combinations
- keen to learn
- New employees are usually keen to learn the workflow.
- keen on sport
- He has always been keen on sport, especially rowing.
- a keen eye for detail
- Editors need a keen eye for detail.
- keen competition
- Keen competition keeps prices low.
- keen prices
- The airline offers keen prices on midweek flights.
Synonyms and how they differ
- eager
- Very close for wanting something strongly; eager is more common in American English.
- enthusiastic
- Shows lively interest or enjoyment, while keen can also mean sharp or intense.
- sharp
- Used for edges or senses; keen is broader and can describe enthusiasm.
- acute
- Often for senses, pain, or observation; less natural for eagerness.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: keen or eager?
keen vs eager
Both show strong desire; keen is common in British English, while eager is the more neutral American choice.
Practice
Choose the natural British English pattern: “She's _____ chess.”
Choose one answer.
British English uses “keen on” before a thing or activity; “keen to” needs a verb, while “keen for” and “keen at” do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “keen”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.