keening 1 of 2

adjective

as in wailing

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keening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of keen
1
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely victims of the disaster have been keening for weeks about the slowness of governmental aid

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in howling
to make a long loud mournful sound mourners keening for the victims of the bombing

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of keening
Adjective
Speaking of God, the pedal steel is capable of exaltation, too, the rise and fall of its strings able to emulate a glorious choir or a keening request or spread out like the cosmos itself. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026 Occasionally, Göransson adds a lovely monotone layer of woodwinds or a keening chorus that sounds like the oldest song on Earth. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 The memoir shows little interest in the gambler’s psychology or the keening dramas of the floor. — Dan Piepenbring, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026 This sequence, with its onstage vengeance, despair and keening dialogue, and its offstage look at how Kikuo’s triumph affects the two people closest to him, is one of the most powerful in the movie. — Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025 But Dunne’s voice, lilting and keening, is rich with empathy. — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keening
  1. wailing
  2. complaining
  3. howling
  4. crying
  5. screaming
  6. weeping
  7. whining
  8. sentimental
Adjective
  • Sitting opposite an old people’s home in a residential corner of Paris’ 14th arrondissement, La Santé’s unassuming presence is only given away by the occasional wailing siren as prisoners are transported to and from the site.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Definition of wailing
Verb
  • Our Good Question email inbox is filled right now with several people complaining about hearing swear words in political ads.
    — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Residents of Studio City have been complaining about screams echoing down the Cahuenga Pass during this soft opening period.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of complaining
Verb
  • The Millers are now among the jackals howling for Fauci’s prosecution.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
  • When giant hailstones start falling, or howling winter winds threaten to tear solar panels from the roof, the unprotected modules can do nothing but take the beating.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026
Definition of howling
Adjective
  • Some in the pro-crying camp pointed to articles and headlines as proof.
    — Jon Sarlin, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of crying
Verb
  • The ‘Ginger Prince’ also scored the goal which prompted the loudest atmosphere at Old Trafford so far this century, a 25-yard screaming half-volley against Barcelona in the 2008 Champions League semi-final second leg, the only goal across both legs.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Dispatchers heard gunshots and screaming on the other end of the line.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of screaming
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Verb
  • The fact that a prominent world leader has been desperately hoping (some might say whining) for a Nobel Peace Prize is not lost on Bang.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Like nails on a chalkboard, whining—an irritating blend of talking and crying—has the ability to make almost any parent either lose their temper or cave.
    — Debby Waldman, Parents, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of whining
Adjective
  • Backyard weddings are among the most sentimental and intimate of celebrations.
    — Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than a sentimental image of maternal love and devotion, Cassatt depicts the sheer effort of remaining oneself within the consuming closeness of caring for one’s child.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of sentimental

Browse Nearby Words

keened
keening
keenly
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Cite this Entry

“Keening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keening. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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