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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So, on the night after the murder, the town’s streets were filled with anguished cries from the Inuit—wails of loss and pain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025 -
Her wails make Davina recall her own confinement, where she was treated similarly awfully and responded by cursing the women in the room.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The president calls his wife and complains about the sole of his shoe before heading off to a girls’ basketball event with Angel Reese.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
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In addition, Alabama complains that the Times gave the school only four hours to respond to the story before it was published; this also coincided with the team getting ready to start the tournament.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Well, a University of Texas at Arlington researcher is aiming to turn barks, howls and whimpers of man’s best friend into intelligible speech — a kind of Rosetta Stone of woof.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Boston Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
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The ugly episode drew howls from those lawmakers in both parties who are calling to tone down the hostilities and focus on legislating, not seeking attention on social media.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Her husband and young son joined her onstage in a tender surprise that brought many in the crowd to tears.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
23 Oct. 2025
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What happened in the moments after is a memory that continues to bring tears Chupp's eyes.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The wide-leg pants have just the right amount of stretch and come in a trendy brown shade that screams autumnal fashion.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Oct. 2025
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From the inside out, this bag screams quality.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Yankee Stadium released exasperated groans as New York fell to Toronto’s rotating relievers and the Yankees’ bats faltered in late-inning opportunities.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Soon, audible groans could be heard on the recording.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shannon moans right about the time Jenn walks out to see what the commotion is all about.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The scared but resilient puppy cries as rescuers work to free her.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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There were cries of overreach when the Guard was deployed to stem segregationist tension in Arkansas and Alabama in the 1950s and '60s.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Keens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keens. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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