whir

1 of 2

verb

ˈ(h)wər 

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

Synonyms

Verb

• hum

Noun

• hum
• purr
• whisper
• buzz

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

And the machines whirring somewhere out of earshot. —Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025

An enormous drill sends a thick metal bit whirring deep into the quarry ground and back up to the surface. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2025

Noun

And crows will mimic the crystalline splashing of rain yet to come, or after two deep croaks will set up a whir with furious wingbeats. —Aratus, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025

The two men are alone on the trail, the only sounds the runner’s breathing, the pounding of his feet on the path, the whir of the bike’s wheels and occasional snatches of birdsong. —Tom Williams, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025

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

Kids Definition

whir

1 of 2 verb

variants also whirr

ˈhwər 

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