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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Everyone is excited for the vacation, except for Shannon and Carmella, who both have valid reasons.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Prosecutors have said Birchmore was excited about her pregnancy and gave Farwell updates about her due date, ultrasounds, doctor appointments and a gender reveal.

— Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of excited

Adjective

Another enthusiastic response at the summit came from Vermont, formerly home to the 650 MW Vermont-Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, which closed in 2014.

— John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
But while an enthusiastic and wider-than-ever audience may be listening now, the Grammys have long appeared inured to such outside influence.

— Leila Cobo, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of enthusiastic

Adjective

The service Everyone on staff is friendly and eager to assist.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Data center builders, semiconductor companies, power providers and cybersecurity firms are far less constrained, according to Cramer, because lenders remain eager to finance their growth.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of eager

Adjective

Private investors often tell more diverse stories, take more risks and try to reach an audience that is hungry for content, said Lata Krishnan, a tech investor entering the Hollywood market.

— Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
The opening two contests couldn’t have gone much worse for the Hawks, and a hungry Sabres team awaits them in Buffalo on Saturday.

— Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of hungry

Adjective

As in the thriller, anxious local leaders debated whether publicizing the peril would scare off tourists.

— Bob Drogin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Because of these risks, many conservation groups and lawmakers are anxious to see permanent protections.

— Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of anxious

Adjective

The former is defined by a lack of oils, where your skin barrier is thirsty for fats that make skin feel hydrated, bouncy, and happy.

— Kara Nesvig, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026
Attendance grew with each subsequent show, and eventually nearly 200 people thirsty for jazz consistently showed up to her tattoo studio for music.

— Mary Carreon, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of thirsty

Adjective

Germany has been one of the most ardent supporters of Ukraine since the early days of the Russian invasion, supplying both military and financial aid.

— Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
Which one of these subtle, touching novels is guaranteed to live up to my ardent report?

— Lola Seaton, The New York Review of Books, 3 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Athirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athirst. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of athirst

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Luddite

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes