keening 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of keeningnext
as in wailing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

keening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of keen
1
as in complaining
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
2
as in howling
to make a long loud mournful sound mourners keening for the victims of the bombing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for keening
  1. complaining
  2. weeping
  3. sentimental
  4. mawkish
Verb
  • There had been a protest of several thousand people complaining about the flaunting of wealth that the America’s Cup represents.
    George Allen, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2024
  • That's definitely something worth complaining about.
    Michael Franco, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2024
Definition of complaining
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Adjective
  • Artifact Uprising Color Series Photo Book $22 Make your bestie misty-eyed with a sentimental gift in the form of a photo book that showcases your favorite memories with them (or their Instagram feed).
    Malia Griggs, SELF, 21 Nov. 2024
  • Legacy can make even an ironical man do sentimental things.
    Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
Definition of sentimental
Adjective
  • Co-directed with Jewish Israeli filmmaker Yaron Shani, the movie paints a subtle picture of a society split along fissures religious, political, cultural, and economic, without ever chiding his characters or dipping into mawkish sentimentality.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Sep. 2024
  • And the hints for today’s groups are: Yellow group — leader or main thing Green group — these can be prickly Blue group — mawkish movies, perhaps Purple group — these have a limit, some might say What Are Today’s Connections Groups?
    Kris Holt, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
Definition of mawkish
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near keening

keened

keening

keenly

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Cite this Entry

“Keening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keening. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

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Britannica English: Translation of keening for Arabic Speakers

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