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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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, 8 Jan. 2026
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The ear-splitting wails came from a little girl trying to get the star’s attention.—
Verb
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And also on Untucked… • Discord complains about Nini being in the top basically all episode, while other queens like Jane try to kindly not get down in the mud with her.—
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Trump complains often that both rooms are too small.—
Verb
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From the booth, Lyons Township announcer Aidan Brandstedt howls, overcome with excitement.—
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Those howls in the moors are literature fans fighting over whether this reimagining of Emily Brontë’s 1847 gothic romance will be confoundingly misguided or bodice-rippingly good.—
Noun
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Christopher Patterson's mother held back tears as his family and friends gathered on Friday outside the home where the 23-year-old lost his life two days before.—
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Narrated by Colm Feore and James Hyndman in the English and French versions of the movie, respectively, the 17-minute stop-motion short follows a poor young boy who discovers a girl whose tears, evoked by a sad home life, turn into pristine pearls.—
Verb
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George Oliver Floating Fluted Nightstands There’s something about a pair of floating nightstands that just screams luxury, and this set is no exception.—
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The Kings are still in the playoff picture and the Pacific Division race, even with a season that screams mediocrity.—
Noun
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Poehler's joke received one of the biggest reactions of the monologue, earning a mixture of laughs and groans.—
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The crowd immediately let out a mix of laughter and groans as Mathews tried to swap his plate for the one in front of Bertinelli.—
Verb
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Shannon moans right about the time Jenn walks out to see what the commotion is all about.—
Noun
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Demonstrations have included cries in support of the shah, something that could bring a death sentence in the past but now underlines the anger fueling the protests that began over Iran’s ailing economy.—
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Demonstrations have included cries in support of the shah, something that could bring a death sentence in the past but now underlines the anger fueling the protests that began over Iran’s ailing economy.—
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Cite this Entry
“Keens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keens. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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