kenning 1 of 2

chiefly Scottish

kenning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of ken, chiefly Scottish

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kenning
Noun
This is a kenning that evokes a natural transition to darkness and also an unfinished human endeavor. Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024 The kenning’s true meaning lies beyond the edges of my comprehension. Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024 My favorite parts of the book are those where there's a new kenning. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Apr. 2023 Most of the writers attempting to imitate Tolkien weren’t steeped in the rhythm of Old English kennings, or the spiritual yearning of chivalric romance. Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2023 Weinersmith has successfully captured the spirit of this timeless story, weaving in generous amounts of alliteration and his version of Old English kennings, a compound figure of speech that replaces a common noun with two or more words that make for a more figurative than literal description. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kenning
Noun
  • Indeed, in 2023, his music earned him just shy of $200,000, about one halfpenny at a time.
    Brett Martin, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
  • In nineteenth-century England, tailors would place old halfpennies in the pockets of a man’s new suit for good luck.
    Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023
Noun
  • The days before the storied conclave May 7 at the Vatican are not idle, and an unspoken selection process is already underway amid whispers in corridors and cafes throughout Rome and other cities in Italy.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • There’s been whispers all season that if the Knicks lost in the first round that things wouldn’t be the same next year.
    James L. Edwards III, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • These active hunters, rather than passively perceiving their environment, require sharper vision to locate and capture prey.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2025
  • However, perceiving the existence of Assyrians in Iraq as stable is a grave misunderstanding.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Reactivate to speed back to your beacon as a mote of pure light.
    Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • At Pasteur’s command, the lights went out, save for a cone of light that revealed floating motes of dust.
    Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • In cesium fountain clocks, a cloud of around 100,000 cesium atoms is first gradually cooled with lasers.
    Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Molecular hydrogen, which consists of two hydrogen atoms bound together, is the most abundant material in the universe.
    Katrina Miller, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The most memorable offerings didn’t care a whit about product-testing strategies.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
  • Vie comes on the heels of Doja’s 2023 album Scarlet, whit hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Major stock markets in Asia and Europe rose today in trading following the announcement of electronics exemptions.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Swim in a direction following the shoreline.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This bright, refreshing modern-classic highball combines Rieger Kansas City Whiskey with ginger beer and a few dashes of Angostura bitters.
    Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • Hairston impressed at the combine in Indianapolis by running a 4.28 40-yard dash and has the speed to keep everything in front while not being afraid to get physical.
    Bryce Lazenby, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Kenning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kenning. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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