Standard Lemma guide

keenly

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈkiːnli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K IY1 N L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a keen manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • watch something keenly
  • We played keenly.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

in a keen and discriminating manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he was keenly aware of his own shortcomings

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English kenely, kenliche, from Old English cēnlīċe (“keenly, boldly, courageously”), equivalent to keen + -ly. Cognate with Saterland Frisian köinlik (“boldly”), archaic German kühnlich (“bravely”).

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: akre — in a keen manner
  • Latin: ācriter — in a keen manner