Keening

Pronunciation varies by accent · adjective

Meaning

Sharp, shrill, especially of a sound..

Definitions by Sense

1. Sharp, shrill, especially of a sound.
2. Intense mournful wailing after a death, often at a funeral or wake.
3. (by extension) An unpleasant wailing sound.
4. present participle and gerund of keen

Example Sentences

The keening sound of a dentist's drill sets my teeth on edge.

As Black Sabbath’s doomsayer-in-chief, Osbourne could summon a true sense of terror in his keening cries in a way that heightened the band’s muscular dirges.

Keening. I remember keening that seemed to go on all through the night: shrill, sharp, shiny, needles of sound piercing cleanly and deeply to let the anguish in, not out.

Synonyms for keening

Antonyms for keening

Related Words

Word Forms

• keenings

Usage Notes

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