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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There was grit and grime to his feedback-heavy guitar wails, but there was sweep and grandeur too, more apparent on stage than on record.—
Piet Levy,
jsonline.com,
28 Mar. 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,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Out of innumerable likely topics, Maher complains about folks who defend cats.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
At one point in the documentary, Suga, one of the group’s rappers, complains that there is too much English on the album.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Karen howls in a video Kaley posted to Instagram as a teenager.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
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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
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During the show’s second hour, Guthrie went outside to thank the crowd and briefly held back tears.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
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As immigration officers arrested her six weeks ago, through tears and a rushed goodbye, Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez had a request for her daughter.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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So while Geely’s breakthrough screams potential, the supporting cast – grid capacity, charger density, and standardization – is still catching up.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Apr. 2026
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The social media content that comes out of the sprawling music festival screams spontaneity, but industrious planning is often buzzing behind the scenes weeks, or sometimes even months, in advance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When Latino residents asked questions and voiced concerns, they were interrupted by jeers and groans from white members of the audience.—
Rafael Carranza,
ProPublica,
26 Mar. 2026
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After a clunky moment of audience groans and O’Brien trying to keep a straight face, the camera moved back to the winners.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 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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Sean said the dogs knocked his mother to the ground and continued attacking her as a passerby, who heard her cries from about a block away, rushed over on a bicycle to help.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
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Amazingly, there didn’t seem to be a single boo or any cries of dissent.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Keens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keens. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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