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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After a second of consideration, Naim slams the grate shut to the monster’s wails, and the audience’s relief.
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Her wails of pain were audible on TV broadcasts as medics tended to her before a helicopter finally carried her away.
Verb
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But today nobody complains about the cost of his castles.
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Never says a word, never complains about it, right?
Verb
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Up in the stands, fans waved their own flags — including some sneaked in over the objections of FIFA and the courts — and wrestled with emotions, as boos, howls and hisses rained down from all corners of the stadium.
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Roaring and grunting, his body sleek with blood and sweat, Conan tussles and grapples with a series of opponents, dominating them all, while an audience of torch-wielding vulgarians shouts and howls at the pit’s lip.
Noun
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Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion after scoring his first goal against Algeria and said after that match his tears came following some tough days not related to soccer.
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Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion after scoring his first goal against Algeria, and said after that match his tears came following some tough days not related to soccer.
Verb
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Nothing screams summer like nautical stripes.
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Like why does Bravo think making the captions all different sizes screams Gen Z?
Noun
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Young climbed into a box, which Strange then stabbed repeatedly, prompting groans from the audience.
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Still, the night had enough laughs, groans and tender moments to keep things interesting.
Verb
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Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms.
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As the video continues, one person can be heard yelling her name while the makeup artist moans in pain.
Noun
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The little one’s first cries somehow complete the circle.
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The soundtrack of sneaker squeaks, rallying cries, and bouncing basketballs found visual complement in the crayon box of jerseys coloring the city in various shades of hometown pride.
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Cite this Entry
“Keens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keens. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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