hummed; humming
1
a
: to utter a sound like that of the speech sound \m\ prolonged
humming along with the music
b
: to make the natural noise of an insect in motion or a similar sound : drone
listening to the bees hum in the garden
c
: to give forth a low continuous blend of sound
the sound of children's voices with which the house was always humming—
J. M. Brinnin
J. M. Brinnin2
a
: to be busily active
the museum hummed with visitors
b
: to run smoothly
the business started to hum
1
: to sing with the lips closed and without uttering speech sounds distinctly
hum a tune
2
: to express by making a vocal sound with the lips pressed together : to affect by humming
hummed his displeasure
hum
noun
hum
2 of 2chiefly British spelling of hem entry 3, hem entry 4
Examples of hum in a Sentence
Verb
The garden was humming with bees.
The refrigerator hummed in the background.
I was humming to myself.
We hummed along to the music.
I hummed a little song.
By noon, the office was really humming.
The restaurant hums on weekends.
Recent Examples on the Web
Pamela Furr, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Singing, humming, laughing and even gargling stimulate the vagus nerve, and cold-water exposure can activate it and enhance its tone.
4.
—Paul Von Zielbauer, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
In Mario Kart World, engines hum beneath your fingers.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
The hope was for Bryant to bolster the Pacers’ frontcourt and keep the team humming whenever its starting center, Turner, needed a breather.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
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Verb
But stimming takes on many other forms that are common in the workplace, such as humming, pen-clicking or using stress balls and fidget toys.
—Pamela Furr, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Singing, humming, laughing and even gargling stimulate the vagus nerve, and cold-water exposure can activate it and enhance its tone.
4.
—Paul Von Zielbauer, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
In Mario Kart World, engines hum beneath your fingers.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
The hope was for Bryant to bolster the Pacers’ frontcourt and keep the team humming whenever its starting center, Turner, needed a breather.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Cite this Entry
“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hum. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hum
noun
: a sound like that made by humming
especially
: venous hum
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