kenning 1 of 2

chiefly Scottish

kenning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of ken, chiefly Scottish

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 kenning
Noun
This is a kenning that evokes a natural transition to darkness and also an unfinished human endeavor. Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024 The kenning’s true meaning lies beyond the edges of my comprehension. Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024 My favorite parts of the book are those where there's a new kenning. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Apr. 2023 Most of the writers attempting to imitate Tolkien weren’t steeped in the rhythm of Old English kennings, or the spiritual yearning of chivalric romance. Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2023 Weinersmith has successfully captured the spirit of this timeless story, weaving in generous amounts of alliteration and his version of Old English kennings, a compound figure of speech that replaces a common noun with two or more words that make for a more figurative than literal description. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kenning
Noun
  • Indeed, in 2023, his music earned him just shy of $200,000, about one halfpenny at a time.
    Brett Martin, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
  • In nineteenth-century England, tailors would place old halfpennies in the pockets of a man’s new suit for good luck.
    Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023
Noun
  • There are enough vague, intractable whispers of diplomacy and further talks about talks, to provide the tantalising promise of a deal, without striking, or even delineating one.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
  • There have been a lot of whispers and rumours about where this prospective investment could come from but nothing concrete has emerged yet.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • These active hunters, rather than passively perceiving their environment, require sharper vision to locate and capture prey.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2025
  • However, perceiving the existence of Assyrians in Iraq as stable is a grave misunderstanding.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Reactivate to speed back to your beacon as a mote of pure light.
    Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • At Pasteur’s command, the lights went out, save for a cone of light that revealed floating motes of dust.
    Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Ions are atoms with positive or negative electrical charges.
    George Petras, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • Only on learning that the United States was close to building the atom bomb were the plans abandoned—even if Moscow’s appetite for expansion was not.
    ANTONY BEEVOR, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • The most memorable offerings didn’t care a whit about product-testing strategies.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
  • Vie comes on the heels of Doja’s 2023 album Scarlet, whit hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Major stock markets in Asia and Europe rose today in trading following the announcement of electronics exemptions.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Swim in a direction following the shoreline.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The asking price is a dash over $4.4 million, with the listing held by Michael Graves of Douglas Elliman Real Estate.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 May 2025
  • American Walnut wood grain for the dash and a 15-inch touchscreen further belie the price point, and the SEL R-Line gets more aggressive drive modes, which translate to further variance in the Atmosphere settings as well.
    Michael Teo Van Runkle, ArsTechnica, 16 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kenning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kenning. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on kenning

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!