Antonyms for keened

Grammar : Noun, verb

Spell : keen

Phonetic Transcription : kin

Definition of keened

Origin : c.1200, from Old English cene "bold brave," later "clever, wise," from Proto-Germanic *kan- "be able to" (see can). Original prehistoric senses seem to have been both "brave" and "skilled;" cognate with Old Norse kænn "skillful, wise," Middle Dutch coene "bold," Dutch koen, Old High German kuon "pugnacious, strong," German kühn "bold, daring." Sense of "eager" is from mid-14c. The meaning "sharp" is peculiar to English: of blades and edges early 13c., of sounds c.1400, of eyesight c.1720. A popular word of approval in teenager and student slang from c.1900.

As in howl : noun long, painful cry
As in moan : verb groan, complain
As in mourn : verb be sad over loss
As in wail : verb cry loudly
As in weep : verb cry
As in ululate : verb howl
As in cry : verb weep and make sad sounds
As in grieve : verb mourn, feel deep distress
As in groan : verb moan, complain

Example sentences :

And then Brigit came and keened her son with shrieking and with crying.
Extract from : « Gods and Fighting Men » by Lady I. A. Gregory

And they buried him, and put a flag-stone over his grave, and keened him there.
Extract from : « Gods and Fighting Men » by Lady I. A. Gregory

On other rolls, she keened and chanted oddly to herself, eyes closed, and pinched down most of the stock.
Extract from : « Vigorish » by Gordon Randall Garrett

Pheola moaned, then keened, and waved her hands in front of her face, as if to ward off a swarm of bees.
Extract from : « The Right Time » by Walter Bupp

From behind the first keened once more that ghastly and smothered escape of suffering, scarcely audible.
Extract from : « The Gray Mask » by Wadsworth Camp

Synonyms for keened

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019