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
  • Nab the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones that wrap your ears in plush comfort while adaptive noise canceling dials the world down to a whisper at 21% off.
    Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
  • In Drama, there’s the second season of Squid Game, which returned with a whisper as compared to the blaring horns of its breakthrough first season.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 19 Apr. 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
  • The average density of matter in space is something like one atom per cubic meter.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Meanwhile, some investors say that businesses operating both offline and online, or atoms and bits respectively, are best positioned to compete.
    Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The show also begged us to care one whit about Nick’s secret romance with… Jessica’s sister!!!
    Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The lack of logic Trump’s fun-house version of justice may not matter a whit to voters, or alter even slightly their perceptions of the two major parties.
    Mark Z. Barabak, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 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
  • What To Know In a clip shared to X, formerly Twitter, McIlroy embraces his wife following his victory.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • His music can best be described as neoclassical, with pop and electronic elements — and a dash of ambient smoothness.
    Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
  • There, the younger Revel impressed the college coaches with his elite speed and athleticism, running the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds and showcasing a 39-inch vertical leap.
    Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 24 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Kenning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kenning. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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