whir

1 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly whirr
whirred; whirring

intransitive verb

: to fly, revolve, or move rapidly with a whir
hummingbirds whirring past

transitive verb

: to move or carry rapidly with a whir

whir

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly whirr
: a continuous fluttering or vibratory sound made by something in rapid motion
the whir of machinery

Examples of whir in a Sentence

Verb the hummingbird whirred as it hovered over a flower our tires whirred as we traveled over the rough road Noun the whir of a fan a whir coming from the refrigerator
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In the background of the small farming cottage in which the unit was based whirred a 3D printer, churning out components for drones. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 The month’s ordinary soundtrack — whispers gathering, phones pinging, the machine that produces vivid chyrons for breathless television broadcasts whirring to life — might have been muted, but that does not mean there has been nothing to hear. Rory Smith, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 Upon check-in at Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond in the heart of Trossachs National Park, the sound of a helicopter whirring overhead is an audible reminder of the juxtaposition of old meets new. Michelle Gross, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2023 The robots themselves are also interesting designs, ranging from faceless automatons to more humanoid androids with whirring gears in place of earlobes. Christian Holub, EW.com, 27 Sep. 2023 What was he supposed to do with a whirring hunk of plastic that kids on social media were obsessed with? Sonia Rao, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024 The songs just keep coming at you, noisily whirring with speed and determined to make maximum impact. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 10 Jan. 2024 Drop the peppers, smoked paprika bloomed in olive oil, sour cream and feta into a food processor and whir your way to a smooth dip. Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 12 Dec. 2023 Underneath it all, the mimetic mechanism is whirring, biding its time between crises. Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
Noun
Their emotional attachment to the analog peculiarities of the 911 model—the distinctive whir of the flat-six valvetrain, the distinctly oily aromas, the uncannily light and accurate steering— this is the stuff of obsession. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2024 With an unobtrusive whir, the A100 motor engaged and my speed in the flat went from about 11 miles an hour to 18 with about the same pedal effort. William Roberson, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Those hoping for a deep, V-8 rumble may be disappointed, though, as its active exhaust emits a raspy growl more befitting a V-6 (additional V-8 sound effects overlaid with an EV-like whir are piped through the stereo speakers). Mike Sutton, Car and Driver, 17 Mar. 2023 The details of this process remained obscure until the 20th century, when the invention of the electroencephalogram, a recording of brain activity made by an array of probes placed on the scalp, spawned studies showing that the sleeping brain whirs to its own electrical rhythms. Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024 Medical equipment whirs and beeps in the background. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023 White noise Sounds like: The static of a TV or radio, or the whir of a fan. Stacey Colino, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2023 The space is truly revolutionary thanks to its retractable walls that can transform it from an indoor to an outdoor venue with the whir of a few motors. Barbara Schuler, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2023 Pedestrian-warning noises are federally mandated, and most brands are implementing similar motor whirs. Benjamin Hunting, Car and Driver, 4 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whir.' 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

Middle English (Scots) quirren, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish hvirre to whirl, whir

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1677, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whir was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near whir

Cite this Entry

“Whir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whir. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

whir

1 of 2 verb
variants also whirr
ˈhwər How to pronounce whir (audio)
ˈwər
whirred; whirring
: to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a buzzing sound
ceiling fans whirred overhead

whir

2 of 2 noun
variants also whirr
: a fluttering or vibrating sound made by something in rapid motion
the whir of machinery

More from Merriam-Webster on whir

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!