Synonym Chooser

How is the word athirst distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of athirst are anxious, avid, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

When might anxious be a better fit than athirst?

The synonyms anxious and athirst are sometimes interchangeable, but anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

How do avid and eager relate to one another, in the sense of athirst?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

In what contexts can eager take the place of athirst?

The meanings of eager and athirst largely overlap; however, eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

When would keen be a good substitute for athirst?

In some situations, the words keen and athirst are roughly equivalent. However, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for athirst
Adjective
  • Julianne being available and excited, wanting to come and play in the sandbox; James, similarly.
    EW Staff, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • So, when the opportunity to visit Tanzania arose, I was intrigued and excited to embark on this journey.
    Ronny Maye, Essence, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Outside of the office, Mr. Ratcliffe enjoys being home with his family, is an avid gardener, and enjoys playing with his three children and three dogs.
    Chris Gallagher, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Wang, an avid adventurer who has visited the Arctic and Antarctica on land, paid an undisclosed amount for the trip.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition, stubbornly high interest rates are prompting institutional investors to offload their holdings in these prime spaces, while luxury companies are eager to take advantage of once-in-a-generation opportunities, and lock in properties for the long term.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • And Trump has been eager to expand the tech industry’s US footprint and cement America as a leader in artificial intelligence.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Wrestlers formed an enthusiastic niche and soon attracted other sports subcultures.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
  • In the auditorium in the Fertitta Hall basement, the biggest star of all is the eternally youthful, irrepressibly enthusiastic Carroll, 73, hired in January as new coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
    Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The minds behind Hungry Minds are just that — hungry.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Like many of these greats, Isak will be hungry for more.
    Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Not that Wendlinger is anxious for her time with the Mustangs to end.
    Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Friday, a government report showed that the U.S. labor market held up better than expected in March despite the federal government’s layoffs, the crackdown on immigrants, and surveys showing that consumers and businesses are increasingly anxious about the economy.
    Josh Fellman, Quartz, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Hydrate mask for dry and thirsty hair: on sale for $11 Original price: $22 (Ulta) Sick of dry and brittle hair?
    Christopher Murray, Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025
  • And after 46 years, there was only enough liquid left for a run of 300 bottles—clearly, the angels were very thirsty for their share—which ultimately bottled at cask strength of 46.3 percent ABV.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The United States, the most vocal and ardent opponent of reform, has formally left the WHO, but its pressure no doubt will be felt.
    Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Stefanik went on to become one of Trump’s most ardent supporters on Capitol Hill and, in turn, an early pick from the then-president-elect.
    Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 27 Mar. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Athirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athirst. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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