as in wails
a crying out in grief
the loud keens of the widows were heard throughout the war-ravaged city
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in complains
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
victims of the disaster have been keening for weeks about the slowness of governmental aid
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keens
Noun
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At times, the noise of grinding gears can obscure the soprano whoops and wails of the preschoolers.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026 -
Ride the thrill of Hostile Design’s passionate wails and percussion overload when the group headlines eight shows to kick off the new year, making their way across California, Rhode Island, Quebec, Ontario, Pennsylvania, and Illinois with the same energy that once fueled their humble beginnings.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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People tend to get involved once a problem becomes visible – when a price looks wrong, a transaction is flagged or a customer complains.—
Murugan Anandarajan,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
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In any work setting, there’s a person who sits around the table and complains about what’s wrong with the company, and then, when the boss walks in, that same person is over there pouring coffee, quiet as a church mouse.—
Willie Colon,
New York Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The wind howls, and the sound of the runners grinding over the ice is surprisingly loud.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
26 Jan. 2026
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Hip holidaying friends, those who don’t want to share their trip with babies’ howls, and golfers looking for an element of cool (guests have access to all the facilities at the other Costa Navarino hotels such as golf courses and the Mouratoglou tennis academy).—
Jemima Sissons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In 2022, Japanese researchers found that dogs produced tears when reuniting with their humans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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Blum looked around, stunned with tears welling in her eyes.—
Aaron Sullivan,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Bill Belichick’s resume screams one-way ticket to Canton, Ohio, but when he wasn’t voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, many were left flabbergasted on Tuesday night.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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The 360-degree design also allowed for the crowd’s screams to echo and fill the entirety of the Kia Forum.—
Kristine Kwak,
Rolling Stone,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The speech was met by deafening cheers, and a tiny smattering of groans from people on the other side of the political spectrum.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
18 Jan. 2026
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Those decisions were largely met with groans from fans.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Shannon moans right about the time Jenn walks out to see what the commotion is all about.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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No wonder then, when substitute Mia Enderby met Jenna Clark’s cross perfectly in the 92nd minute, putting Liverpool 1-0 up, the cries of celebration spilled out before the ball had officially crossed the goal line.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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When the time comes, listen to the whistles, the car horns, the cries in the air.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Keens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keens. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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