as in halfpenny
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as in fathoming
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Recent Examples of kenning
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
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
-
One legend says workers found fake coins during excavations on the site; others hold whispers of kings, assassinations and shady land ownership.—
Lily Radziemski,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
-
There are no tanks on the streets or intelligence agents stamping out whispers of dissent.—
Leila Fadel,
NPR,
29 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
-
This is similar in size to the icy particles in Saturn's rings, for example, and the ice is likely frozen around motes of interplanetary dust.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
19 May 2025
-
Reactivate to speed back to your beacon as a mote of pure light.—
Mike Stubbs,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Once in those pockets, those atoms were squashed by gravity.—
Robin George Andrews,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 May 2025
-
From this view, prime numbers are the basic building blocks for constructing any positive whole number using multiplication – akin to atoms combining to make molecules in chemistry.—
Jeremiah Bartz,
The Conversation,
30 May 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
-
These sweet, tart treats get a dash of sugar to top off the crust, a sprinkle of orange zest, and loads of strawberry and rhubarb inside—all within a crusted pie that’s about the size of a muffin.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2025
-
As Rory, Alexis Bledel was preppy with a dash of Delia*s catalog, with a strong focus on cozy knits (see: Rory Gilmore Fall).—
Lindy Segal,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kenning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kenning. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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