keenly
Americanadverb
-
in a way or to a degree that is very sharply or distinctly felt.
As a husband and father, he is keenly aware of the risks inherent in his new construction job.
-
in a way that shows great mental perceptiveness or insight.
He showed foreign policy savvy and an ability to keenly analyze both sides of an issue.
-
with strong or intense emotion or desire; eagerly.
We committee members are keenly interested in addressing these important issues head-on.
-
in a sharply focused way; intently.
Participants listened keenly to the training presentation.
Etymology
Origin of keenly
First recorded before 1000; keen 1 ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
Keenly is used to describe things that are intense or deeply perceptive. If you're keenly aware that your sister is grouchy in the morning, you'll steer clear of her until lunch time. Sometimes keenly means "enthusiastically," like when you keenly anticipate the next installment in your favorite science fiction book series. In the U.S., it's more commonly used to describe a profound kind of intensity. A movie character might be keenly desperate; your friend may demonstrate how keenly intelligent she is during her debate; or you may keenly regret telling your grandmother what you really thought of her new tattoo.
Vocabulary lists containing keenly
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Forty years ago, back in the 1980s, Steve Witkoff was a junior lawyer at a firm working for Donald Trump, and was watching him keenly.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
But these two figures, created by one of our most keenly observant writers, deserve to be interpreted anew.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
In Canada, jobs data for June will be keenly eyed on Friday following strong figures in the previous month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
The consensus among historical experts is that many were already keenly aware of the altered situation, thanks to the elaborate word-of-mouth information relay of enslaved people’s social networks.
From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026
She cocked her head, now keenly aware of her wretched dirtiness.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
