Words / B2

KEENL-ee/ˈkiːnli/

Keenly means in an intense, eager, or sharply felt way: feel keenly; keenly aware; watch keenly. Keen is the adjective (already related); intensely and acutely are close twins. Voters felt the cut keenly; still quote the £ amount. Mix-up: keenly vs kindly; kernel. Do not write keenly for a mild, passing interest in the source.

Meaning

In an intense, eager, or sharply felt way.

Examples

• “Voters felt the cut keenly, the source said; still quote the £ amount.”
• “She watched the titration keenly, which is the eager-attention sense.”

Good to know

feel / sense keenly; keenly aware / contested; watch keenly. Adjective: keen. Close: intensely / acutely. Trap: kindly. News, methods, and literature. Intensely, eagerly, or sharply felt — specify.

Near in meaning

intensely, acutely, eagerly

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