- present participle of keen.
Etymology
Origin of keening
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The keening chorus is anchored by Roger Troutman, who enjoyed a series of 1980s hits with sprays of talk-box-warped vocals, while the blasting beat was produced by Dr. Dre, the chief architect of G-funk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Gilgamesh’s lament is not the stylized keening of epic tradition—not Achilles’ highfalutin howls after Hector strikes down Patroclus—but something rawer, humbler, more recognizably human.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
As such, there's little to compare with the straightforward joy of Watermelon Sugar, or the keening desire of As It Was - but Styles isn't stupid enough to alienate his fanbase entirely.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
Mr. Sonnier’s virtuoso accordion work and his vocals, by turns keening and supple, infused the country airwaves in the late 1980s with Cajun, rock, swamp-pop and jazz sensibilities.
From New York Times ● Jan. 26, 2024
As soon as the verdict had been announced, she’d heard a terrible keening, so sharp she’d clamped her hands over her ears and collapsed into a ball.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
