as in purrs
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
1
2
as in zips
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
a helicopter hummed overhead
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of hums
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Libra September 23 – October 22 Libra, teamwork hums when roles feel fair.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 12 May 2026
The broader economy hums along on the same frequency.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Her chicken hums with a gentle smokiness and a complex, fruity chile flavor that’s warm, rounded and highly addictive.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The Merchant Room, helmed by two-time James Beard Award-winner Gavin Kaysen, emerges just off the lobby and hums from morning through late evening.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The dining room hums with music, cocktails flow freely and the buzz builds as the morning turns into afternoon, hinting at Lavo’s reputation as the Strip’s original party brunch destination.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
But if hotel noises, traffic rumbles, or plane hums keep you from getting some shut-eye, this compact sound machine may become your best travel companion.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
At the river separating Oiapoque from French Guiana, a small port hums with boats linking Brazil, its neighbor and nearby communities.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Once a sleepy town, Hudson has reinvented itself as a trend-forward haunt that draws New Yorkers seeking tranquility—yet still hums with a lively energy.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
His body may be showing its age, but his mind still hums like the Big House before kickoff.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2026
Now, with the case of Reiner, the machinery hums again.
—Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026
The name hums with nostalgia, and includes a placid nod to those coal-mining towns where people were paid in company scrip.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
The desert air in Phoenix, Arizona hums a little louder during NCAA Women’s Final Four weekend.
—Ciara Lucas, SELF, 4 Apr. 2026
Your neighbor might rely on an oxygen concentrator to breathe – a machine the size of a carry-on bag that hums quietly through the night.
—Katherine Asmussen, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
The group hums in agreement, offering dispatches from their own lives about thorny friendships.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
For instance, many partners have small gripes or annoyances with habits that are annoying at worst, but far from an outright red flag — like a partner that chews somewhat loudly, leaves cabinet doors open or hums constantly while working.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Libra September 23 – October 22 Libra, teamwork hums when roles feel fair.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 12 May 2026
The broader economy hums along on the same frequency.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Her chicken hums with a gentle smokiness and a complex, fruity chile flavor that’s warm, rounded and highly addictive.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The Merchant Room, helmed by two-time James Beard Award-winner Gavin Kaysen, emerges just off the lobby and hums from morning through late evening.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The dining room hums with music, cocktails flow freely and the buzz builds as the morning turns into afternoon, hinting at Lavo’s reputation as the Strip’s original party brunch destination.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
But if hotel noises, traffic rumbles, or plane hums keep you from getting some shut-eye, this compact sound machine may become your best travel companion.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
At the river separating Oiapoque from French Guiana, a small port hums with boats linking Brazil, its neighbor and nearby communities.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
While Perseverance hums along at a feature known as the Jezero crater, about 2,300 miles East the Curiosity rover has been exploring the ancient Gale Crater since 2012.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Once a sleepy town, Hudson has reinvented itself as a trend-forward haunt that draws New Yorkers seeking tranquility—yet still hums with a lively energy.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
His body may be showing its age, but his mind still hums like the Big House before kickoff.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2026
Now, with the case of Reiner, the machinery hums again.
—Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026
The name hums with nostalgia, and includes a placid nod to those coal-mining towns where people were paid in company scrip.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
The desert air in Phoenix, Arizona hums a little louder during NCAA Women’s Final Four weekend.
—Ciara Lucas, SELF, 4 Apr. 2026
Your neighbor might rely on an oxygen concentrator to breathe – a machine the size of a carry-on bag that hums quietly through the night.
—Katherine Asmussen, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
The group hums in agreement, offering dispatches from their own lives about thorny friendships.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hums
Noun
-
Honey is ready to bring love, purrs and playful cuddles to her forever home.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Washington delivers the dialogue with a thrilling range from purrs to roars, all imbued with an authoritative swagger.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Niantic, a village within the town of East Lyme in southeastern Connecticut, buzzes with local energy.—
Amy Thomas,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
-
An Israeli drone buzzes over a sea of debris in northern Gaza, where homes were turned into mass graves.—
Anas Baba,
NPR,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Not to mention, your toiletry bag ends up far less chaotic and actually zips without a fight.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
16 May 2026
-
But the few times they’re forced to play their hurt feelings sincerely are as forced as the moment when Grace zips her gory wedding gown back on before it’s even been washed.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Just like drug dealers, the internet dealers roamed the parks selling their product in whispers, avoiding police persecution.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
-
There were also whispers about Safra's stylish wife Lily.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Haaland bursts our bubble almost immediately by scoring in the opening five minutes, and Burnley miss a few good first-half chances, with striker Zian Flemming particularly culpable.—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The 60-year immigration bubble finally bursts.—
,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This vast bundle of life and existence whirrs continually, creating the comforting harmonic tone that defines this place.—
Stephen Trimble,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hums. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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