variants
also whirr
as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
a whir coming from the refrigerator
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also whirr
as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
the hummingbird whirred as it hovered over a flower our tires whirred as we traveled over the rough road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of whir
Hugh Son, CNBC, 27 May 2025
An audience of about 75—who all seemed to be locals, except for me and a Dutch couple—roared and cheered as a gifted dancer named David Nieto shook the stage in a whir of heel stomps, wrist flicks, and head snaps.
—Christopher Bagley, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 13 May 2025
Almost from the moment movie cameras first started whirring in China, filmmakers have flocked to Shanghai.
—Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for whir
Noun
The space is quiet, except for the crack of a Perrier being opened or the whir of an espresso machine.
—Hugh Son, CNBC, 27 May 2025
An audience of about 75—who all seemed to be locals, except for me and a Dutch couple—roared and cheered as a gifted dancer named David Nieto shook the stage in a whir of heel stomps, wrist flicks, and head snaps.
—Christopher Bagley, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025
Verb
Little is known about the mysterious origins of the spinning, whirring celestial cypher.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 13 May 2025
Almost from the moment movie cameras first started whirring in China, filmmakers have flocked to Shanghai.
—Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for whir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whir
Verb
-
The grand ballroom of the Austin Film Society's 40th anniversary gala hummed with energy.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
-
The Fed has kept interest rates steady for several months now as the U.S. economy continues to hum along better than many had expected.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
1 July 2025
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
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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
Noun
-
The whispers grow louder as the beeping becomes more frequent until finally, the alarm sounds.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
-
On LinkedIn, whispers of stealth layoffs and hiring freezes are growing louder.—
Andrew Fennell,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
When the personal care brand teased the upcoming collaboration on Instagram earlier this month, the response was overwhelmingly positive — and the buzz only grew from there.—
Adam Mansuroglu,
Footwear News,
14 July 2025
-
Evolution will cap off a busy weekend of shows as WWE looks to counterprogram AEW, not just from a business standpoint, but for clicks, clout and buzz which is every bit as important to an upstart promotion like AEW.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whir. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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