<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0508</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2026-02-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000055242</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KENNAMETAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>KMT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001408736</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DIETRICH DOUGLAS T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>622 THIRD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>X1</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>UNITED STATES</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>0</aff10b5One>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Credits</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2026-02-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>642.145</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>40.1</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>642.145</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10603.483</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">1 for 1</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The stock credits become payable in common stock (i) in the event of a change of control of the company or (ii) on the date that the reporting person ceases (other than by death) to be a director (&quot;retirement&quot;), unless the reporting person has elected to receive the common stock represented by the stock credits following retirement.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes 34.981 stock credits acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of the Kennametal Inc. Stock Incentive Plan of 2002 and 17.642 stock credits acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of the Kennametal Inc. Directors Stock Incentive Plan, as amended. The company maintains a separate dividend reinvestment plan available to its shareholders that satisfies the requirement of Rule 16a-11 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michelle R. Keating, as attorney-in-fact for Douglas T. Dietrich</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2026-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
