as in halfpenny
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024
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
Noun
The kenning’s true meaning lies beyond the edges of my comprehension.
—Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024
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
Verb
-
Advertisement Svetlana’s optimistic pretend normalcy and Lyudmila’s practical approach to medication point to impossibility of fathoming the many crushing consequences of the Ukraine crisis.—
Nina Khrushcheva,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Just a shot of the spirit was enough to lend a whisper of warm, caramel-like flavor that plays nicely with the warm baking spices and molasses.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Nov. 2025
-
Jane uses her wit to survive under Henry VIII’s reign, an era where one wrong move, including the faintest whisper of gossip, may be the end of you.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Shifting gears, rather than perceiving AI as a competitor, budding therapists would be wise to perceive AI as a collaborator.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
In 2024, Nepal ranked 107th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, with 84% of people perceiving government corruption to be a major problem.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There’s always a new speck of dirt, mote of dust, or lock of hair to clean up.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The search for a mote of relatability has led Burt to excuse-making.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Optical atomic clocks, which are considered the timekeepers of the future, use the precise, stable microwave frequency emitted by the vibrations of cesium or other atoms to keep time with extreme accuracy.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Fission splits the nuclei of atoms to create power while fusion causes hydrogen nuclei to collide and fuse into helium atoms that release incredible amounts of energy — essentially replicating the power of the sun.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Bands of masked men apprehending people in broad daylight in the streets and hauling them off.—
J. David McSwane,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The swift police response and use of video surveillance technology proved crucial in identifying and apprehending the shooter.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Miss Keaton…is not a whit like the flustered ingénue she was cast to play.—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
-
The whit and the whoo are from different owls.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kenning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kenning. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share