Illustration of drum
- 1 bass
- 2 snare (orchestra)
- 3 snare (parade)
1
: a percussion instrument consisting of a hollow shell or cylinder with a drumhead stretched over one or both ends that is beaten with the hands or with some implement (such as a stick or wire brush)
3
: the sound of a drum
also
: a sound similar to that of a drum
4
: any of various chiefly marine bony fishes (family Sciaenidae) that make a drumming or croaking noise using their air bladder and associated muscles
5
: something resembling a drum in shape: such as
a(1)
: any of the cylindrical blocks that form the shaft of a column
(2)
: a round wall or structure that supports a dome
b
: a cylindrical machine or mechanical device or part
c
: a cylindrical container
specifically
: a large usually metal container for liquids
a 55-gallon drum
d
: a disk-shaped magazine for an automatic weapon
drummed; drumming
1
: to make a succession of strokes or vibrations that produce sounds like drumbeats
2
: to beat a drum
3
: to throb or sound rhythmically
4
: to stir up interest : solicit
1
: to summon or enlist by or as if by beating a drum
were drummed into service
2
: to dismiss ignominiously : expel
—usually used with out
3
: to drive or force by steady effort or reiteration
drummed the speech into her head
4
a
: to strike or tap repeatedly
b
: to produce (rhythmic sounds) by such action
Word Icons
Examples of drum in a Sentence
Noun (1)
an oil drum
Verb
She drummed while he played the guitar.
Her fingers drummed nervously on the table.
He was nervously drumming a pencil on the desk.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alan Bradley, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Wood drums are often carved with Aztec symbols such as the sun or animals like owls, eagles and ocelots.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2026
Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
The weekend kicks off with an Aquachobee dub reggae takeover with a Nyabinghi drumming opening ceremony.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drum
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Noun
During an eclipse, people would bang drums, shoot arrows, or create loud noises to scare the dragon away, as a red moon was seen as a sign of impending misfortune or celestial imbalance.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Wood drums are often carved with Aztec symbols such as the sun or animals like owls, eagles and ocelots.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
Live music, including Japanese Taiko drumming, dance from India, and special cultural dance workshops.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
The weekend kicks off with an Aquachobee dub reggae takeover with a Nyabinghi drumming opening ceremony.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drum
Cite this Entry
“Drum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drum. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drum
1 of 2 noun1
: a musical percussion instrument consisting of a hollow cylinder with a thin layer of material (as animal skin or plastic) stretched over one or both ends that is beaten with a stick or with the hands
2
: the sound of a drum
also
: a similar sound
3
: a drum-shaped object: as
a
: a cylindrical mechanical device or part
b
: a cylindrical container
oil drums
c
: a disk-shaped ammunition container that may be attached to a firearm
drum
2 of 2 verb
drummed; drumming
1
: to beat or play on or as if on a drum
3
: to call or gather together by or as if by beating a drum
drum up business
4
: to dismiss in shame : expel
drummed out of the army
5
: to drive or force by steady effort or repetition
drummed the lesson into their heads
6
: to strike or tap repeatedly so as to produce rhythmic sounds
drummed the table with his fingers
Medical Definition
drum
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
