Meaning & use
Keened
Last updated
Wailed in grief, typically in a loud, high-pitched voice as a lament for the dead.
See it in a sentence
The mourners keened over the coffin as it was lowered into the ground.
A thin wind keened through the empty rafters of the barn.
A note on using this word
The word comes from the Irish 'caoineadh', a traditional funeral lament; it can also describe any high, mournful sound, such as wind.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
Made a high-pitched, wailing sound.
The wind keened around the chimney all night.
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