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

The Fear Economy Pew Research found in August 2026 that 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI, up from 37% in 2021.

— Bob Pearson, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Upon their arrival, the couple stopped to greet excited fans, several of whom had brought them flowers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of excited

Adjective

Kreiz is an avid kite surfer whose post-college job was as an instructor at a Club Med and is fond of recalling the story of delivering his baby daughter in the back of a car in front of Paddington Station in London.

— Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has long been an avid video game player.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of avid

Adjective

Support from the faculty was enthusiastic, and Louise worked closely with professors in many departments to ensure the museum’s exhibitions complemented their classes.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
In that raucous public square known as Reddit, anti-Trumpers are planning protests, evidence that Trump should not expect an overwhelmingly enthusiastic welcome in the traditionally red Sunflower State.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of enthusiastic

Adjective

Tech companies are eager for vast tracts to build data centers that can be as large as 70 football fields, and Townsite could set a precedent for similar projects on federal property with more than a dozen others in the planning stages.

— Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
The shores of Clearwater Beach are packed block-to-block with resorts booked up by eager beachgoers, but the JW Marriott might just be the one to convince you to hang around a little bit longer before launching into Clearwater’s ombré coast.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of eager

Adjective

Big tech firms in the US are pouring billions into advanced nuclear power to feed energy-hungry artificial intelligence.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
The Dodgers needed a healthy Ohtani to deal with a young, hungry ballclub like the Brewers.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of hungry

Adjective

There’s also reassuring initial bite at the top of the travel, yet the setup doesn’t feel grabby or overly anxious in everyday driving situations.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Gong’s collection followed the emotional arc of unrequited love, from the first spark and the anxious wait to the social-media sleuthing, a date, and the sudden disappearance that follows.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of anxious

Adjective

The new rules also eliminate the selling and trading of credits automakers use to compensate for producing fuel-thirsty vehicles.

— Robert Ferris, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Part of that is keeping an eye out for thirsty fans who might have a real interest in your man.

— Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of thirsty

Adjective

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
Turns out Ferrari’s ardent fan base is curiously conservative.

— Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of athirst

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