as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
the steady thrum of the turbines in the power plant
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Recent Examples of thrum
Lauren Ng
contact, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
An unassuming airstrip, once built to serve supersonic jets but quickly relegated to a training facility, thrummed with activity Monday as tractor trailers unloaded supplies and construction crews worked in the thick humidity to finish building the detention facility.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2025
The series thrums with time jumps, heartbreak, joy, and family dinners that somehow always end in arguments.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Noun
Melody, the Virgil Village bungalow that constantly thrummed with diners who settled into its open-air living room and patio to try burgeoning food pop-ups, swill natural wine and jam to owner Eric Tucker’s genre-spanning DJ sets, is set to close permanently on July 12.
—Lauren Ng
contact, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
An unassuming airstrip, once built to serve supersonic jets but quickly relegated to a training facility, thrummed with activity Monday as tractor trailers unloaded supplies and construction crews worked in the thick humidity to finish building the detention facility.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
Verb
The film starts small, in a tight space, but the thrum of the city—its physical energy and its mighty administrative infrastructure—gives it a tension, a sense of ambient conflict that will, soon enough, turn an ordinary night into a neo-noir nightmare.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2025
The series thrums with time jumps, heartbreak, joy, and family dinners that somehow always end in arguments.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrum
Noun
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The Silver Hugo for Best Sound goes to SOUND OF FALLING for its ability to echo, in both its silences and thunders, the constant hum of secrets passed from one generation to the next in the apparent domestic quiet that both conceals and reveals.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
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In an instant, the ordinary rhythms of their lives — laughter, errands, the hum of home — were shattered.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Just hearing this phrase whispered on the other end of the phone is enough to send a chill up your spine.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Light incense and whisper the names of those who came before you.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of how cats purr.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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The purr of an engine was the pulse of performance – until a quiet revolution started taking shape under the surface.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Popular drugs credited with shrinking waistlines and controlling blood sugar may also take the edge off alcohol’s buzz, according to a new study.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
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Disneyland Park While Disney Adventure World is getting most of the buzz in 2026, Disneyland Park is gearing up for a host of spectacular events next year, too.—
Megan duBois,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some hissing or growling is normal, but separate them if aggression escalates.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
My pal was in deep slumber, breathed through this kind of hissing accordion.—
Sam Lipsyte,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Two students have unrolled what looks like an incomplete treasure map, and lean over it with magnifying glasses, murmuring to one another.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
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For example, a heart murmur or crackling lungs often signify an issue is present.—
Joshua Hutcheson,
The Conversation,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Bright sighed with relief as volunteers handed over bread and other provisions to help get her family through the week.—
Jenny Abamu,
NPR,
24 Oct. 2025
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Outside, the tide sighs against the rocks in steady conversation.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The base is a single can of black beans, whirred together in a food processor with taco seasoning or a quick pinch of whatever spices are around.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
14 Oct. 2025
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Helicopters constantly whir overhead and the demonstrations often force traffic to come to a stop or to slow at major thoroughfares.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrum. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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