ATHIRST Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

athirst

adjective

ə-ˈthərst

Definition of athirst

as in excited

showing urgent desire or interest was athirst for any news at all about family members serving in the war zone

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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

We are excited by the prospect of evolving the Festival beyond what people have come to expect.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
Layer in Musk's visionary nature and ability to get investors excited, and you're left with an earnings conference call that should be considered required reading for any market participant.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of excited

Adjective

An avid reader, Dua Lipa sat down for a chat at the London Literature Festival 2026 in conversation with moderator and novelist Zadie Smith and poet Mustafa about all things books at the Royal Festival Hall yesterday in London.

— Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 25 Oct. 2026
As an avid Halloween fan who loves donning costumes, she was forced to reflect on her own consumption and waste.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of avid

Adjective

But footage obtained by OutKick portrayed a different story, including a handshake with an enthusiastic Bengals head coach Zac Taylor.

— Ryan Morik , Preston Mizell OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Wall Street has been enthusiastic about the separation, which is designed to unlock the value of each group of assets and is likely to generate M&A interest.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of enthusiastic

Adjective

Most residents in Flagler Village are eager to see more tall towers built, according to Glassman.

— Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
Recast as geometry, the old identities now point toward unmapped territory, raising questions that mathematicians are eager to explore.

— Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of eager

Adjective

A week later, however, the win-hungry Jayhawks did manage to solve Baylor’s winning ways versus KU courtesy of a thrilling 25-24 come-from-behind Homecoming Day victory over the Bears on Saturday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
So putting SpaceX and Tesla together unites two companies that are super-hungry for cash.

— Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of hungry

Adjective

The director general was attempting to lift the gloom after being beset with questions from anxious employees about job losses, service reductions, and general retrenchment.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2026
An anxious child Apart from her scribbled notes, scant details are available about Runa’s experience in detention, according to her lawyer Yoshihiro Mukai.

— Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of anxious

Adjective

But exactly who on this roster can replace him if an O-line-thirsty franchise [Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers] makes an offer the Dolphins can’t refuse?

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
These problems will likely only get worse over the next few decades, with thirsty parts of the state increasingly wanting to supply their regions with water from areas with more supply.

— Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of thirsty

Adjective

Whatever the reason, Anderson left behind a catalog full of such gems, tucked away on B-sides waiting to be discovered by his most ardent fans.

— Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026
One fascination of this brave book—brave in its disclosures but more so in its demands, its spiritual rigor, and its ardent intellectualism—lies in watching the eloquent, intelligent sufferer steadily entrapping herself.

— James Wood, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of ardent

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.

Browse Nearby Words

atheists

athirst

athletic

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“Athirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athirst. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of athirst

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