What's the difference between anxious and keen?

Anxious


Definition:

  • (a.) Full of anxiety or disquietude; greatly concerned or solicitous, esp. respecting something future or unknown; being in painful suspense; -- applied to persons; as, anxious for the issue of a battle.
  • (a.) Accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying; -- applied to things; as, anxious labor.
  • (a.) Earnestly desirous; as, anxious to please.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) In many cases, physicians seek to protect themselves from involvement with these difficult, highly anxious patients by making a referral to a psychiatrist.
  • (2) Anxious mood and other symptoms of anxiety were commonly seen in patients with chronic low back pain.
  • (3) Meanwhile Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, waiting anxiously for news of the scale of the Labour advance in his first nationwide electoral test, will urge the electorate not to be duped by the promise of a coalition mark 2, predicting sham concessions by the Conservatives .
  • (4) The Pakistan government, led as usual by a general, was anxious to project the army's role as bringers of order to a country that was sliding quickly towards civil war.
  • (5) Disabled men also were more depressed and anxious and had lower ego strength and higher hypochondriasis scores on the MMPI, but were no different in type A behavior.
  • (6) From a clinical standpoint, it is clear that psychiatrists caring for anxious patients must be aware of the possibility of secondary alcohol abuse.
  • (7) Vladimir Putin brushed off complaints of election fixing during his annual televised live chat with the nation on Thursday , but behind the scenes his lieutenants are anxiously plotting how to quell rising discontent.
  • (8) Moreover, much evidence is directly contrary to a strong temperament interpretation of attachment patterns (changing attachments, differing attachments with different caregivers, prospective data on the early characteristics of infants later classified as securely or anxiously attached).
  • (9) While ruling that there had been improper use of Schedule 7 powers, the judge commented: "It was clear that the Security Service, for entirely understandable reasons, was anxious if possible to get information which could not be regarded as tainted by torture allegations or which might confirm the propriety of a control order."
  • (10) This is why a campaign , orchestrated by Ali and last week discussed in parliament, is gathering speed, and clued-up ministers grow anxious.
  • (11) In the course of the years, López Ibor came to the conclusion that anxious thymopathy was not an independent nosological entity, rather that vital (also called endothymic) anxiety was an element present in all forms of neurotic disorders integrated with personality and biographical factors.
  • (12) The data suggest that a learning approach to the origins of attentional biases in anxious subjects might be fruitful.
  • (13) It is argued that for Resistance veterans only the intrusive reminiscences of the stressful events discriminate this constellation of symptoms from subjects with an anxious-depressive symptomatology.
  • (14) A Wall Street Journal profile, published in 2000, says the Cherrys' interpreter introduced them to Deng, who was anxious to learn English, and Joyce Cherry offered her tuition.
  • (15) It's an anxious time for those 180,000 teenagers chasing the last university places in clearing ; nails are bitten to the quick, eyes glazed from internet searching.
  • (16) Sam Mugumya, an aide to the opposition leader, suggested the government might have been anxious to prevent Besigye disrupting the inauguration.
  • (17) But minutes after the final whistle, 76% of respondents to a Corriere della Sport online poll were blaming Lippi and in the post-match press conference the man himself was quick to take the blame, appearing to be anxiously awaiting the moment he can disappear quietly from the scene to be replaced by the Fiorentina manager, Cesare Prandelli, a switch decided with little fuss and no media debate just before the World Cup.
  • (18) For a while he stayed put, biding his time, anxious that when the move came (and nobody doubted there would be a move) it would be the right one.
  • (19) Children not only are fast learners and anxious to acquire new skills but also are at risk for the development of dental health problems.
  • (20) © Focus Features Where Dolly, a kind, pious, modest, anxious figure, the mother of five living and two dead children, belongs very much to the old Russia, Stiva Oblonsky, her husband, is recognisable as the caricature of a modern man.

Keen


Definition:

  • (superl.) Sharp; having a fine edge or point; as, a keen razor, or a razor with a keen edge.
  • (superl.) Acute of mind; sharp; penetrating; having or expressing mental acuteness; as, a man of keen understanding; a keen look; keen features.
  • (superl.) Bitter; piercing; acrimonious; cutting; stinging; severe; as, keen satire or sarcasm.
  • (superl.) Piercing; penetrating; cutting; sharp; -- applied to cold, wind, etc, ; as, a keen wind; the cold is very keen.
  • (superl.) Eager; vehement; fierce; as, a keen appetite.
  • (v. t.) To sharpen; to make cold.
  • (n.) A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach.
  • (v. i.) To wail as a keener does.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) That the BBC has probably not been as vulnerable since the 1980s is also true – not least because the enemies of impartiality are more powerful, and the BBC's competitors (maimed after a year's exposure of their own behaviour in the Leveson inquiry ) are keen to wreck it.
  • (2) It has me as a listener and I am keen as well on sciences, arts, geography, history and politics, and I belong to two campaigns in Brighton and Chichester against privatisation of the NHS, and with some successes.
  • (3) Theresa May to visit India in signal of trading priorities post-Brexit Read more Cable said India had been keen to expand “ Mode 4 ” market access: the ability to bring in staff – Indian IT experts, for example – as part of trading in services.
  • (4) As corruption consistently ranks as a top concern for Spaniards, second only to unemployment, and with an eye on upcoming municipal and regional elections in the spring, Spain’s political parties have been keen to appear as if they are tackling the issue.
  • (5) He is understood to be keen to remain in the London area.
  • (6) The tech workers are mostly well-paid and keen to live downtown.
  • (7) Some Labour MPs, such as Frank Field and David Miliband, are keen on primaries.
  • (8) Professor Androsov was extremely hospitable and showed a keen interest in the freer exchange of knowledge between American and Soviet surgeons.
  • (9) The government, too, is keen to strike a conciliatory note, at least compared with the strident tones of the Iron Lady's day.
  • (10) Photograph: Peter Beaumont for the Guardian For his part the leader of Hadash, the veteran socialist party in Israel that emphasises Arab-Jewish cooperation, Odeh has now attracted a political star status most obvious on the stump in Lod on Wednesday in the repeated cries of “Ayman!” by shopkeepers and passersby keen to shake his hand or be photographed with him.
  • (11) This seemed contradictory for a government keen on getting people out of their cars, and given that at the time the Treasury finances were relatively healthy.
  • (12) Palaszczuk said she was keen to use her first attendance at a Coag meeting to push for the federal government to “accelerate some of their money towards the states” for the national disability insurance scheme.
  • (13) Even more striking is the stance being adopted by Hagan and her Democratic supporters, who have been as keen to discuss social issues as the Republicans have been to avoid them.
  • (14) Britain's estate agents today report a surge in the number of properties for sale amid signs jittery vendors are keen to strike a deal before next month's general election.
  • (15) It is a game to spend two hours together and enjoy our time together and say: ‘I was happy.’” Guardiola, who will be joined by the former Arsenal and Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta on his coaching staff , is keen to promote players from City’s junior ranks.
  • (16) May is thought to have been keen to examine more closely the role of Chinese companies in the project amid concerns about the impact on national security and despite her predecessor David Cameron’s strong support for Hinkley .
  • (17) Ian Livingstone is not all that keen on being photographed near the life-sized model of Lara Croft in his study – even though he was largely responsible for launching her on the world nearly 20 years ago, and the heroine of the Tomb Raider video games, comics and films helped to make his fortune.
  • (18) We were very keen to preserve the silhouette of the Leadenhall building [Cheesegrater],” says Richards.
  • (19) The Russians are also keen on it.” A Trump adviser confirmed the president-elect’s intention to meet Putin very soon and said that Reykjavik was under active consideration.
  • (20) At the same time, he is keen to do everything in his power to help Palace pick up three crucial points, right down to giving Pulis chapter and verse on the Cardiff players he knows inside out.