# keenly

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈkiːnli/ · frequency rank #26,137

## Definitions
1. In a keen manner.

## Etymology
From Middle English kenely, kenliche, from Old English cēnlīċe (“keenly, boldly, courageously”), equivalent to keen + -ly. Cognate with Saterland Frisian köinlik (“boldly”), archaic German kühnlich (“bravely”).

## Easily confused with
- **Kelly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/keenly-vs-kelly)
- **Kenny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/keenly-vs-kenny)
- **keen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/keen-vs-keenly)
- **keel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/keel-vs-keenly)
- **keene** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/keene-vs-keenly)
- **Keenan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/keenan-vs-keenly)
- **keener** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/keener-vs-keenly)
- **Keeley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/keeley-vs-keenly)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ekenly`, `keelny`, `keenlly`, `keenlyy`, `keennly`, `keenyl`, `kenely`, `kenly`, `kkeenly`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/keenly