: a low vibratory murmur typical of an apparently contented or pleased cat
purred; purring; purrs
1
: to make a purr or a sound like a purr
cars purring along the highway
2
a
: to speak in a manner that resembles a purr
b
: to speak in a malicious catty manner
Synonyms
Examples of purr in a Sentence
Noun
the soft purr of a car engine
listened to the reassuring purr of the car engine
Verb
The cat was purring contentedly in my lap.
The cars were purring along the highway.
“You look tense. Let me buy you a drink,” he purred.
Recent Examples on the Web
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024
The duo quickly became inseparable, with footage capturing their adorable cuddles and Marble's soothing purrs as William clings to Marble's soft fur.
—Seth Carnell, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024
Yes, the peppy little inline-five diesel purrs to life easily on the first crank.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024
But take us back to Joséphine’s drawing room, where dom-versus-dom dynamics result in a showdown that could have filled several seasons of reality TV, with Kirby’s purr often carrying the day.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023
Jones, whose vivacious voice features distinct and succulent hints of gravel, carries the power to roar like a lion or purr like a kitten.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024
Here, Moroney eschews any attempt to replicate Stapleton’s penchant for full-throated angst, but rather wraps her elegant voice, all purr and scratch, around the lyric, drawing out more sadness and resignation than agony.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 8 Jan. 2024
Their cat might welcome them with loud purrs and excited floor rolls.
—Alisa Bowman, Discover Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023
Why cats purr remains a matter of considerable debate.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Oct. 2023
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Sweet and friendly, Fizzy will greet new people and never stop purring.
—The Arizona Republic, 26 Jan. 2024
Both sit amidst potted plants, with the cat purring contentedly while the girl smiles.
—Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 20 Sep. 2023
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, December 2003 THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
Wrapped in ocean-blue Balenciaga couture, Alice perched on the mantel, longing to escape into the shadow world, as her black kitty purred nearby.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024
This well-mannered cat has a sweet disposition and regularly shows her joy by purring like a little machine.
—The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2024
At the beginning, eruptive full-ensemble gestures give way to a gently purring harp figure and to snappy rhythms on agogô bells.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024
Mama cats typically purr when nursing, for example, perhaps to reassure their tiny offspring, and while in labor.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Oct. 2023
For one thing, both places were crawling with cats, turning a high-concept livestream from Marvel Entertainment into a chaotic scene of tumbling, jumping, eating, purring felines that just might have been extraterrestrials in disguise (a.k.a.
—Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2024
Noun
The purrs, croaks, and grunts of fish and crustaceans that live there and the sounds of healthy coral growing can echo through the water.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024
The duo quickly became inseparable, with footage capturing their adorable cuddles and Marble's soothing purrs as William clings to Marble's soft fur.
—Seth Carnell, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024
Yes, the peppy little inline-five diesel purrs to life easily on the first crank.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024
But take us back to Joséphine’s drawing room, where dom-versus-dom dynamics result in a showdown that could have filled several seasons of reality TV, with Kirby’s purr often carrying the day.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023
Jones, whose vivacious voice features distinct and succulent hints of gravel, carries the power to roar like a lion or purr like a kitten.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024
Here, Moroney eschews any attempt to replicate Stapleton’s penchant for full-throated angst, but rather wraps her elegant voice, all purr and scratch, around the lyric, drawing out more sadness and resignation than agony.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 8 Jan. 2024
Their cat might welcome them with loud purrs and excited floor rolls.
—Alisa Bowman, Discover Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023
Why cats purr remains a matter of considerable debate.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Oct. 2023
Verb
The rapid-fire sotto-voce chords that launch the Scherzo went off with purring finesse; the coda of the first movement became an exuberant one-man stampede.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Sweet and friendly, Fizzy will greet new people and never stop purring.
—The Arizona Republic, 26 Jan. 2024
Both sit amidst potted plants, with the cat purring contentedly while the girl smiles.
—Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 20 Sep. 2023
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, December 2003 THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
Wrapped in ocean-blue Balenciaga couture, Alice perched on the mantel, longing to escape into the shadow world, as her black kitty purred nearby.
—Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024
This well-mannered cat has a sweet disposition and regularly shows her joy by purring like a little machine.
—The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2024
At the beginning, eruptive full-ensemble gestures give way to a gently purring harp figure and to snappy rhythms on agogô bells.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024
Mama cats typically purr when nursing, for example, perhaps to reassure their tiny offspring, and while in labor.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Oct. 2023
For one thing, both places were crawling with cats, turning a high-concept livestream from Marvel Entertainment into a chaotic scene of tumbling, jumping, eating, purring felines that just might have been extraterrestrials in disguise (a.k.a.
—Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'purr.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near purr
Cite this Entry
“Purr.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purr. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
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