hum

1 of 2

verb

hummed; humming

intransitive verb

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 hummingJ. M. Brinnin
2
a
: to be busily active
the museum hummed with visitors
b
: to run smoothly
the business started to hum

transitive verb

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
hummable adjective

hum

2 of 2

chiefly 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
Verb
In the adaptation of the novel of the same name by Canadian author Jordan Tannahill that was written by the author himself, Hall plays Claire, a popular teacher who begins to hear a low humming sound that no one else around her can hear. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2024 But McMurdo—normally a humming hub of research—has gotten quieter. Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2024 The giant cranes that fill the sky like skeletal bridges hummed to life. Don Lee, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2024 Based on the novel by Jordan Tannahill, the five-part series centers on Claire, played by Hall, a popular English teacher who begins to hear a low humming sound that no one else around her can hear, but which upsets her own life and that of her family. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hum 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hum.' 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 hummen; akin to Middle High German hummen to hum, Middle Dutch hommel bumblebee

First Known Use

Verb

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near hum

Cite this Entry

“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hum. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

hum

verb
ˈhəm
hummed; humming
1
a
: to utter a continuous \m\ sound
b
: to make the natural buzzing sound of an insect in motion or a sound like it : drone
c
: to give forth a low continuous blend of sound
2
: to produce musical tones while keeping the lips closed
3
: to be busily active
the place was humming
hum noun
hummer noun

Medical Definition

hum

noun
: a sound like that made by humming
especially : venous hum

More from Merriam-Webster on hum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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