as in purr
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
we heard the hum of an outboard motor and a few minutes later the small craft came into sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
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 hum
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 21 June 2025
Step off the humming streets of Taipei, through the glass doors of the Mandarin Oriental, and the city’s energy fades behind thick stone walls.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
With their defensive limitations, the Knicks need to make sure the offense is humming more often than not.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 17 June 2025
But Trump’s ramping up of restrictions and public scrutiny of China risks putting sugar in the gas tank just as the engine started humming again.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Verb
For people with air-conditioning, window units and central air will be humming for days on end.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 21 June 2025
Step off the humming streets of Taipei, through the glass doors of the Mandarin Oriental, and the city’s energy fades behind thick stone walls.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
With their defensive limitations, the Knicks need to make sure the offense is humming more often than not.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 17 June 2025
But Trump’s ramping up of restrictions and public scrutiny of China risks putting sugar in the gas tank just as the engine started humming again.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum
Noun
-
In a clever flex of corporate synergy, Apple promoted its first summer blockbuster with the release of a haptic trailer that imitates the purr of an F1 engine in the palms of your hands.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
17 June 2025
-
Baldwin’s husky purr of a voice sets the table for the events of the film, before settling back to pop in every now and then with an omniscient insight or unspoken truth.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
Bubbly, bittersweet, and bursting with untapped potential, a bottle of tonic water is the key to a whole summer of compelling cocktails.—
Amiel Stanek,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 July 2025
-
Figuring jets of water springing from pools turned oval by perspective, arches also reminiscent of its headquarters seem to burst to life against the skin.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Add Hollywood buzz to the mix, and this 1973 bike is a keeper.—
Kristin Shaw,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Social media platforms, particularly X, buzzed with posts expressing grief, anger, and speculation.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
On a sunlit slope above the Aegean, the ruins of an old Greek estate whisper stories of power, legacy, and familial pride.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
-
What was once spoken only in whispers, if at all, by our mothers and grandmothers, is now trending on TikTok.—
Time,
Time,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Even as dome construction bulged on the Italian peninsula from the eleventh to fifteen centuries, Romans held off on joining the building bandwagon until the late 1400s.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
12 June 2025
-
In every photo, Tater's eyes bulged with what can only be described as pure joy.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
Noun
-
When that harmony hits, the sale becomes a symphony: the crack of the register, the rustle of the bag, the quiet thrill of being chosen.—
Joel Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
There was no answer, just a footstep behind him and the rustle of a dress.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
The 24 Hours of Le Mans race is nearly halfway through, and fans are late-night snacking, snoozing in their sleeping bags, or pressed up against the fence to watch the cars zip by.—
Kristin Shaw,
ArsTechnica,
10 July 2025
-
Astronomers manning an asteroid warning system caught a glimpse of a large, bright object zipping through the solar system late on July 1, 2025.—
Darryl Z. Seligman,
The Conversation,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
And the machines whirring somewhere out of earshot.—
Jack Albright,
jsonline.com,
3 July 2025
-
An enormous drill sends a thick metal bit whirring deep into the quarry ground and back up to the surface.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share