as in wails
a crying out in grief
the loud keens of the widows were heard throughout the war-ravaged city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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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The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026 -
In some, relatives are seen walking among the black bags, trying to identify the deceased, as wails and screams fill the background.—
Molly Hunter,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, the Brighton captain, Pascal Gross, complains to referee Chris Kavanagh.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
And a woman who complains is said to be defying nature itself.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Karen howls in a video Kaley posted to Instagram as a teenager.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
-
At night, the desert comes alive with coyote howls, prowling skunks and the possibility of larger cats or black bears nearby.—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Tokenizing someone is always an ugly thing — yet Rubio deserves no tears.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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And so, there [were] some tears.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Whale’s picture, the bride doesn’t talk — only screams or hisses like an irritated cat — and is brought to life 5 minutes before the credits roll.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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The picture with a bald eagle might be photoshopped, but the image screams America, right?—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Back at the gathering, there were Martha’s groans and Gretchen’s anger, and there was Mike, clasping his chest—a heart attack?—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
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Scanlon said inclusion of the searches in Bondi’s binder was also indicative of her intentions, with the attorney general repeatedly referencing the guide to push back on members, sparking groans from several.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Freight House building creaks and moans underfoot, and passing trains produce little more than a subtle hum.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
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Back in the car, Albert moans and groans while Billie shrieks in panic.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Apparently hearing her mother’s cries, 11-year-old Duong came into the bedroom, the prosecutor added.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
5 Mar. 2026
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Grandma and grandpa may mean well, but some of their parenting styles are no longer recommended based on years of research—like ignoring your baby’s cries or forcing a school-age child clean their plate at dinner.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
3 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Keens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keens. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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