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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hum
Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Before the arrival of COVID-19 in 2020, the job market in the Bay Area hummed at peak performance.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025
Not so long ago, Tom Izzo and John Beilein had the rivalry humming, which made Michigan’s recent downturn even starker.
—Austin Meek, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Every hallway hums with reggae, dancehall, lover rock and soca playing through the intercoms, setting the tone for a journey through decades of unforgettable music.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Verb
After decades of German manufacturing humming at much higher rates than its European counterparts, Germany idled more of its production lines last year than the European Union as a whole.
—Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Before the arrival of COVID-19 in 2020, the job market in the Bay Area hummed at peak performance.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025
Not so long ago, Tom Izzo and John Beilein had the rivalry humming, which made Michigan’s recent downturn even starker.
—Austin Meek, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Every hallway hums with reggae, dancehall, lover rock and soca playing through the intercoms, setting the tone for a journey through decades of unforgettable music.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum
Noun
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Her plush cat, with a pillow-like body and realistic purr, will be sold direct to consumer on her website.—
Joan Verdon,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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Giving him a little hug and hearing him purr definitely lifts my spirit.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
2 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Recycled beads turn into jewelry bursting with color.—
Jordi Lippe-McGraw,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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Plant these flowers from seed to have a garden bursting with color.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Mercury will also activate this area of your chart as of March 3, so your mind will be buzzing with ideas.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
1 Mar. 2025
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The legendary fashion tea began nearly two decades ago at the Berkeley Hotel in London and lands in Los Angeles in the heart of awards season, when the city is already buzzing with red carpet excitement.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
WWD,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There’s a whisper of floral elegance, balanced with earthy depth, giving it a versatile and refined character.—
Jillian Dara,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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After ten years of whispers, gossip, and speculation, the women finally start to open up about what has been painfully obvious to any faithful watcher of this show: Karen has been struggling with an alcohol problem that has recently gotten out of control.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Early foldable phones bulged out of my pant pockets, and looked chunky in the hand.—
Ben Sin,
Forbes,
28 Dec. 2024
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On the field, Orozco was successful in her first season before missing last year due to the aforementioned bulging disc.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The air was thick with humidity, and the forest seemed alive with sounds — colorful birds, darting insects, cutting ants, and the frequent rustle of something unseen.—
Bill Frist,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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The noises of all the organisms living together in a particular place—the trill of birdsong, thrum of insect wings, rustle of leaves, cacophony of yips, or a lonely midnight howl—make up that setting’s biophony, an audio signature of life.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
12 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Chelsea Handler celebrated her 50th birthday in Idaho by stripping down and zipping down.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Feb. 2025
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This got a brief theatrical release before zipping straight to video, and has only ever been brought up again in lists like this.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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There’s been a whirring carousel of complaints and grievances around modern basketball’s 3-point reliance.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
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The new species and other whirring tree frog species were identified by their DNA, subtle physical features and call sounds, the study said.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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