Kennings are often structured as two-word phrases that are essentially metaphors for something simpler and more concrete and are combined in order to make a more ordinary subject or object look and sound more extraordinary and more attractive.

For example, "sea-road," or rather "whale-road" and "sail-road," are kennings used to signify the sea (the place where whales swim and ships sail); "sky-candle" refers to the sun (the candle that lights up the sky); "sword-sleep" refers to death (death is described as the eternal sleep, usually caused by a sword wound); "mind-worth" refers to honor (the worth of the mind), and so on. All of the examples can actually be found in the well-known Old English epic poem Beowulf, which is filled with kennings.

The main purpose of kennings, as figures of speech, is to present newer, cleverer, and more creative ways of expression that will inspire awe within the readers. This is the main reason why especially Old English and Old Norse poems and stories made frequent use of kennings—to make the poems more wondrous and more captivating. The typical thematic representations in these poems include battles, legendary warriors, fantastic creatures, the epic journeys of great heroes and even greater foes, the harsh but beautiful environment, honor, loyalty, vengeance, and many more; thus, writers came up with various kennings, to transform mundane and common words into original and memorable phrases.