How to pronounce keen
Say it like KEEN. Keen is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce keen. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KEEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Keen pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KEENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of keen
American and British speakers say keen in essentially the same way: /kin/ in the US and /kiːn/ in the UK.
British respelling: KEEN.
What does keen mean?
- having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions“an acute observer of politics and politicians”“incisive comments”
- intense or sharp“suffered exquisite pain”“felt exquisite pleasure”
- very good“he did a bully job”“a neat sports car”
- a funeral lament sung with loud wailing
- express grief verbally“we lamented the death of the child”
Where does keen come from?
Cognate with Danish køn (“handsome, pretty”), Dutch kien (“smart, wise, able”), koen (“daring, valiant, doughty, courageous”), German kühn (“bold, daring, audacious, hardy, valiant, venturesome”), Icelandic kænn (“wise, crafty, clever, able
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with keen
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of keen.
Questions about saying keen
How do you pronounce keen?
Say KEEN. The American pronunciation is /kin/. In British English it is /kiːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in keen?
Keen is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KEEN.
Do Americans and Brits say keen the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kin/ and the British form is /kiːn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.