keenness
Intensity of interest
Keenness is the quality of being keen—eager enthusiasm or sharp intensity.
It can describe mental acuity: Her keenness of perception impressed everyone.
Or it can mean strong interest: His keenness for the project was contagious.
The word also applies to physical sharpness: the keenness of the blade.
More common in British than American English.
Flat cutting edge
- razorBlade for removing hair
- edgeBoundary or sharpness
- whetstoneStone for sharpening blades
- honeMake keener or better
scalpel · knife · slicing · incision · cutting · piercing · pointed · serrated
Mental interpretation of stimuli
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
- acumenSharpness of mind
- astutenessShrewd perceptiveness
- perspicacityKeen mental perception
shrewdness · incisiveness · insight · penetration · clarity · alertness · perceptiveness · discrimination
Intense eager enjoyment
- zealIntense driving devotion
- avidityIntense keen interest
- fervorIntense emotional intensity
- ardorIntense emotional warmth
anticipation · impatience · readiness · excitement · exuberance · willingness · spiritedness · animation
Forceful emotional passion
- forcefulnessPowerful assertive quality
- fiercenessIntense aggressive quality
- potencyDegree of strength
- depthDistance below surface
strength · acuteness · poignancy · severity · bitterness · pungency · stinging · piercing
blade
Flat cutting edge
hone · scalpel · knife · slicing · incision · cutting · piercing · pointed · serrated · lancet
perception
Mental interpretation of stimuli
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
- acumenSharpness of mind
- astutenessShrewd perceptiveness
perspicacity · shrewdness · incisiveness · insight · penetration · clarity · alertness · perceptiveness · discrimination · sensitivity
enthusiasm
Intense eager enjoyment
ardor · anticipation · impatience · readiness · excitement · exuberance · willingness · spiritedness · animation · verve
vehemence
Forceful emotional passion
- forcefulnessPowerful assertive quality
- fiercenessIntense aggressive quality
- potencyDegree of strength
depth · strength · acuteness · poignancy · severity · bitterness · pungency · stinging · piercing · biting
- awarenessalertness, aware, attention, cognizance, conscious
- excitementexcitement, enthusiasm, eagerness, exhilaration, thrill
- fervor synonymszeal, ardor, passion, enthusiasm, eagerness
- intellectintelligence, intellect, brainpower, mind, cognition
- mental claritymental clarity, lucidity, clear thinking, clear head, clear-headedness
- mental sharpnessmental agility, mental clarity, mental focus, acumen, sharp mind
keennessdullness
Lack of stimulation
bluntness · mildness · obtuseness · gentleness · softness
keennessindifference
Lack of interest
apathy · reluctance · disinterest · laziness · lethargy
keennessdullness
Lack of stimulation
obtuseness · stupidity · slow-wittedness · denseness · dimness
keen, sharpness, keenly, keening, keenest, keener, quick-wittedness