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
Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 24 May 2025
The parks will be packed and the highways will be humming in Arkansas over the Memorial Day weekend, according to state officials.
—Harley Walls, Arkansas Online, 22 May 2025
Another question is who is going to man these production lines that Trump sees humming away.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 9 May 2025
By the 16th century, drone also came to mean a dull, continuous humming sound, and later, someone blindly follows orders similar to a bee.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Verb
The push-pull of the protagonists’ bond keeps the film humming along, both in ludicrous and heartfelt moments.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 24 May 2025
The parks will be packed and the highways will be humming in Arkansas over the Memorial Day weekend, according to state officials.
—Harley Walls, Arkansas Online, 22 May 2025
Another question is who is going to man these production lines that Trump sees humming away.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 9 May 2025
By the 16th century, drone also came to mean a dull, continuous humming sound, and later, someone blindly follows orders similar to a bee.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum
Noun
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In Boo's case, the loud purrs likely signal both comfort and a growing bond with her new human.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
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Her soft purrs and loving eyes will remind you every day that you are adored.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
12 May 2025
Verb
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But there is part of me that actually believes Wayne was at his creative peak on 2004’s Tha Carter, where the Cash Money little brother with a chip on his shoulder collides with the looser, throne-craving supernova, ready to burst.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
6 June 2025
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In Raleigh, North Carolina, a water utility organization uses AI to forecast which pipes are most likely to burst, helping crews replace them proactively.—
Darshan Tiwari,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Much of the cast, including creator Lin Manuel Miranda, Jonathan Groff, Daveed Diggs, Christopher Jackson, Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr. and Reneé Elise Goldsberry, walked the carpet embracing other stars who were buzzing with excitement for what the performance could be.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
9 June 2025
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But others, including Grand Central Market, were already buzzing with customers.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Noun
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Both Louisiana singers luxuriate at the point where a whisper becomes a coo, and both have crafted gossamer pop with Swedish producers.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
6 June 2025
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Jean-Pierre is one of many associates who was close to the former president when whispers of his cognitive decline came to a head during a June 2024 debate in which the Democrat struggled to make sense.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Photos posted online showed the snake arrived at a Virginia animal hospital with a bulging body.—
Simone Jasper,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
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This week, they’re dominated by the moon, which enters its bulging gibbous phase in advance of next week’s full strawberry moon.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
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There was no answer, just a footstep behind him and the rustle of a dress.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
31 May 2025
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The usual rustles—of people shifting in their chairs, reaching for water bottles, pulling out cellphones, or opening laptops to check email—stopped cold.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
21 Mar. 2019
Verb
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But where are the best spots to zip around on a motorboat or charter a yacht?—
Brittany Anas,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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They were last seen zipping east on Lorraine St. EMS rushed the bus driver to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was treated for a minor injury, cops said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2025
Verb
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The sound of whirring sewing machines soundtracked her childhood.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
21 May 2025
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In just about every single episode of CSI, techs wearing no protective equipment whatsoever stand in rooms lit like dive bars, feeding slivers of human tissue into machines that whir briefly and spit out a neat list of every foreign substance in the body.—
Samuel Ashworth,
The Atlantic,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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