thrum

1 of 4

verb (1)

thrummed; thrumming

intransitive verb

1
: to sound with a monotonous hum
2
: to play or pluck a stringed instrument idly : strum

transitive verb

1
: to play (something, such as a stringed instrument) in an idle or relaxed manner
2
: to recite tiresomely or monotonously

thrum

2 of 4

noun (1)

: the monotonous sound of thrumming

thrum

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
a(1)
: a fringe of warp threads left on the loom after the cloth has been removed
(2)
: one of these warp threads
b
: a tuft or short piece of rope yarn used in thrumming canvas
usually used in plural
c
2
: a hair, fiber, or threadlike leaf on a plant
also : a tuft or fringe of such structures
thrum adjective

thrum

4 of 4

verb (2)

thrummed; thrumming

transitive verb

1
: to furnish with thrums : fringe
2
: to insert short pieces of rope yarn or spun yarn in (a piece of canvas) to make a rough surface or a mat which can be wrapped about rigging to prevent chafing

Examples of thrum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
My competence in the work itself, utilizing machines, tools, and my own hands, never fails to quiet some thrumming tension in my core, a need to be an instrument for fulfilling responsibilities. M. R. O’Connor, The New Yorker, 29 Feb. 2024 Ultimately, the story that erupts from this intensely personal and domestic scenario is thrumming with wider cultural resonances. Cate Blanchett, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2024 But beneath the festive atmosphere thrummed a note of anxiety. Vivian Wang, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023 This is the awful, revelatory idea thrumming at the heart of Godzilla, what gives these films their curious power, even at a time when anxieties about nuclear disasters (still a genuine danger) have been surpassed. Asher Elbein, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023 The New Wave filmmakers discerned, extracted, and developed those aspects of recent American movies that seethed and thrummed with the spirit of youth in order to create their own cinema of actual and manifest youth. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023 The operation’s thrumming heart beats in Building One, where machines, rotating at high speeds, spit out as many as 1,200 rifle cartridges per minute. Ben Dooley Emily Rhyne, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023 Counteracting all that fat is an aji criollo, a thick green sauce of garlic, peppers and herbs that thrums with lime juice and vinegar. Gabe Hiatt, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2023 Despite the challenges facing many small business owners in Queens right now, these local legends—some have been thrumming along for over 20 years—continue to cater to their communities. Caroline Shin, Bon Appétit, 13 Oct. 2023
Noun
There is a trauma from hearing gunshots and seeing gun injuries, and daily life can be a thrum of risk in vulnerable communities, notably those largely populated by Black and Hispanic people, Buggs said. Christine Spolar, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 With an aging audience in decline, the familiar thrum of its potato-potato V-twin exhaust note was becoming irrelevant. Peter Jackson, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024 The horror lies in the steadiness of it all, in its terribly unrelenting pulse and drone: Every thrum is a shovelful of dirt on your casket. Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2023 Being an alien here might just be a metaphor for the difficult blessing of feeling enough apart from the thrum of life on Earth to report on its goings-on: to tell a story. Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2024 Hundreds of thousands have fled to the south, leaving a silence broken only by the pop of machine-gun fire and the heavy thrum of Israeli tanks. Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023 Suzane Loi has been perched behind the cash register at The Coffee Mill in Oakland, Calif., for 27 years, watching the daily thrum of Grand Avenue through the cafe’s huge windows. Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2023 The roar of the growing burn was overlaid with the thrum of air tankers and helicopters as firefighting response began to gear up. John Riha, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2023 Meanwhile, the three queens are going live on Instagram in front of the mirror, snapping into poses for selfies with fellow House members and bouncing along to the thrum of DJ Mateo Segade’s beats playing in the other room. Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thrum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

imitative

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old English -thrum (in tungethrum ligament of the tongue); akin to Old High German drum fragment

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1592, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun (1)

1798, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrum was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near thrum

Cite this Entry

“Thrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrum. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thrum

verb
ˈthrəm
thrummed; thrumming
: to sound or speak with a steady or boring rhythm
thrum noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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