strum

noun \ ˈstrəm \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Definition of strum

: an act, instance, or sound of strumming

Recent Examples of strum from the Web

Musicians can jam and learn from one another during strum-alongs, classes, and open mike opportunities during this festival hosted by the Ukulele Union of Boston and the town’s Cutler Elementary School.

— kathy shiels tully, BostonGlobe.com, "Spinning a classic tale at Reading High," 20 Apr. 2018
Or maybe a guitar strum or even the fluid sound of a clarinet.

— nick hoppe, San Francisco Chronicle, "Lovely sounds in the middle of the night," 6 Apr. 2018
The new track about flying sparks between lovers is as fiery as expected, combining lead singer Cristal Ramirez's soulful vocals with clashing percussion and glimmering guitar strums.

— tatiana cirisano, Billboard, "The Aces Heat Up With Fiery New Single 'Volcanic Love'," 9 Feb. 2018
The second, a serene strum-fest accompanied by Meloy's sing-song musings.

— eder campuzano, OregonLive.com, "With 'I'll Be Your Girl,' The Decemberists take a new path to the same destination (review)," 16 Mar. 2018
The first of the album's two instrumentals is the latter, and shudders with beauty -- with a guitar strum that drifts in search of a home, before the song expands into a swirl of piano and finger-snaps.

— billboard staff, Billboard, "The 50 Greatest Interludes of All Time: Staff Picks," 9 Mar. 2018
For most Americans, this lush region conjures the strum of a banjo, the songs of Loretta Lynn and the gentle twang of a thick mountain accent.

— jessica wapner, Newsweek, "The Cancer Epidemic in Central Appalachia," 19 July 2015
With orchestral strings behind the strum, stomp and clap of a traditional-sounding beat, the women aren’t singing about cheerful drunks.

— jon pareles, New York Times, "The Playlist: John Prine Comes Home, and 10 More New Songs," 9 Feb. 2018
The track, laden with staccato strums and snaps, was produced by Ariel Rechtshaid, whose previous credits include Adele, Haim and countless others.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "CLOVES Is "Bringing the House Down" with a New Song and Music Video," 1 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'strum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of strum

imitative

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1764

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

strum

verb

Definition of strum

strummed; strumming

transitive verb

1 a : to brush the fingers over the strings of (a musical instrument) in playing

strum a guitar

; also : ¹thrum 1

b : to play (music) on a stringed instrument

strum a tune

2 : to cause to sound vibrantly

winds strummed the rigging
—H. A. Chippendale

intransitive verb

1 : to strum a stringed instrument

2 : to sound vibrantly

—

strummer

noun

See strum defined for English-language learners

See strum defined for kids

Examples of strum in a Sentence

He strummed a tune on the guitar.

Recent Examples of strum from the Web

The city is dotted with playgrounds (spielplatz) that ring with the shouts of children, the barks of dogs, the buskers’ strumming.

— Vogue, "In Berlin, a New Rooftop Playground Turns Child’s Play into High Art," 5 June 2018
Ever sit on your porch and overhear a neighbor strumming guitar on another porch?

— kathy shiels tully, BostonGlobe.com, "Find your groove along the streets of Somerville during Porchfest," 4 May 2018
Longtime fans will recognize many of the moments Vorwald managed to cram into the video: Ernie Banks’ fingers strumming his bat. Billy Williams Day.

— paul sullivan, chicagotribune.com, "WGN celebrates 70 years of televising Cubs baseball," 15 Apr. 2018
Currently walking with @IAmEliasWWE at @RazzooNOLA.#Wrestlemania week rules. pic.twitter.com/khhEN3BmRU -- Frank The Clown (@FrankWWEClown) April 6, 2018 As WWE fans know, Elias' guitar strumming is part of his ring persona.

— doug maccash, NOLA.com, "WrestleMania superstar Elias serenades Bourbon Street," 7 Apr. 2018
None of them paid any attention as Rahiem Taylor strummed his bass guitar and his twin brother, Amiri, tried to reattach the strap to his acoustic guitar.

— rick rojas, New York Times, "Next Stop, Bedford Avenue. But First, the Sounds of John and Paul.," 18 Mar. 2018
Duffy noted that his grandfather strums the guitar and sings to his wife of 63 years.

— pete grathoff, kansascity, "Danny Duffy offers reward after grandfather's hand-written sheet music was stolen | The Kansas City Star," 20 Apr. 2018
Absent fleet footwork, sleek breakdowns or edgy funk, Timberlake’s later turns as an acoustic-guitar-strumming troubadour failed to connect.

— bob gendron, chicagotribune.com, "Justin Timberlake embraces array of roles at United Center," 28 Mar. 2018
Unlike a lot of shows with guitar-strumming interlopers, McCoy’s not used as a clumsy strolling-troubadour narrative device.

— christopher arnott, courant.com, "'Father Comes From the Wars' A Long But Easy To Follow Journey At Yale Rep," 26 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of strum

1777

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

STRUM Defined for English Language Learners

strum

verb

Definition of strum for English Language Learners

: to play (a guitar or similar instrument) by moving your fingers across the strings
: to play (music) on a guitar, banjo, etc., by moving your fingers over the strings