whir

verb \ ˈhwər , ˈwər \

variants: or less commonly whirr

Definition of whir

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

See whir defined for kids

Examples of whir in a Sentence

the hummingbird whirred as it hovered over a flower
our tires whirred as we traveled over the rough road

Recent Examples of whir from the Web

Airplanes laden with scientific instruments whirred overhead, exploring the outskirts of the speeding shadow, tiny spots that grew dimmer as the moon continued her encroachment on the sun's blazing rim.

— magner white, sandiegouniontribune.com, "From the archives: When it was midnight at midday!," 17 Aug. 2017
Over the past decade, four of these films buzzed and whirred through terrible ratings, stomped into theaters and left with huge bags of cash.

— Fortune, "Summer Box Office Revenue Is Really Bad and Social Media Isn’t Helping," 11 Aug. 2017
Off to the side of a spacious warehouse room whirring with sounds and people moving about stands a door, which boasts a small pink sign.

— andrew henderson, The Courier-Journal, "'I'm the glitter and he's the skulls.' Screen printing artists continue to grow business," 9 Aug. 2017
American AC-130 gunships and F-16 fighter jets whir in circles overhead, at low altitude, waiting for strike orders.

— max bearak, chicagotribune.com, "Months after 'the mother of all bombs' was dropped, the fight against ISIS rages on in Afghanistan," 23 July 2017
Electric race cars whirred in Red Hook, Brooklyn this weekend as part of the Qualcomm New York City ePrix, the first Formula E race to happen in New York City.

— eric limer, Popular Mechanics, "The Gnarliest Crash at NYC's Formula-E Race Was By a Drone," 17 July 2017
In cities, families had to fill jugs and bottles from public taps at 3 a.m. In villages, long daily electrical outages stopped fans from whirring and tube wells from pumping water to irrigate parched fields.

— pamela constable, Washington Post, "In Pakistan, scorching Ramadan month highlights chronic water, power shortages.," 28 June 2017
As the news cycle continues to whir and new late-night shows continue to pile up, hosts need to keep finding ways to stand out.

— vanityfair.com, "Has Seth Meyers Found a New Way to Stand Out from the Late-Night Crowd?," 28 June 2017
As the news cycle continues to whir and new late-night shows continue to pile up, hosts need to keep finding ways to stand out.

— laura bradley, HWD, "Has Seth Meyers Found a New Way to Stand Out from the Late-Night Crowd?," 28 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of whir

Middle English (Scots) quirren, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish hvirre to whirl, whir

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First Known Use: 15th century

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whir Synonyms

Synonyms

bumble, burr, buzz, drone, hum, whish, whiz (or whizz), zip, zoom

Related Words

chirr, churr; thrum; fizz, hiss, murmur, purr, rustle, sigh, sizzle, swish, whisper; coo, curr; wheeze, whistle, whoosh

whir

noun

variants: or less commonly whirr

Definition of whir

:a continuous fluttering or vibratory sound made by something in rapid motion

the whir of machinery

See whir defined for English-language learners

Examples of whir in a Sentence

the whir of a fan
a whir coming from the refrigerator

Recent Examples of whir from the Web

Nothing about the craft had really changed since the Gilded Age, until the arrival of electric erasers and their dental whir.

— cullen murphy, Vanities, "When Fairfield County Was the Comic-Strip Capital of the World," 9 Aug. 2017
Add simple syrup; whir briefly to combine. Pour peach puree mixture into a champagne or Collins glass.

— debbie arrington, sacbee, "Fruity and fresh twist on cocktails, sodas," 4 July 2017
Rowing has a meditative effect, with its rhythmic motion and surreal quiet, apart from breathing, faint splashes, and the whir of the seat rolling back and forth.

— marcia desanctis, Town & Country, "Rowing Is a Full-Body Workout You Can Do at Any Age," 23 June 2017
Lights flicker in old houses, an icy gust whirs through ancient trees.

— becky cooper, The New Yorker, "The Finch, a Michelin-Starred Neighborhood Spot," 4 Apr. 2017
Proof of popularity aside, there is something quite chic and modern about a soup made verdant with a blended whir of kale leaves.

— the washington post, The Denver Post, "Caldo Verde: When “smooth and creamy” is the answer to how you’d like your greens," 13 Mar. 2017
As this lost world of dinosaurs and outsize insects squawks and buzzes and whirs to life, an asteroid the size of a mountain is hurtling toward Earth at about 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers) an hour.

— National Geographic, "Here’s What Happened the Day the Dinosaurs Died," 11 June 2016

First Known Use of whir

1677

whir Synonyms

Synonyms

burr, buzz, chirr, churr, drone, purr, thrum, hum (also whirr), whiz (or whizz), zoom

Related Words

babble, coo, gasp, gurgle, hiss, moan, murmur, rustle, sigh, suspiration, susurration, susurrus, whisper; whish, zing, zip

Near Antonyms

bawl, howl, roar, scream, screech, shriek, squall, squeal, yelp, yell

WHIR Defined for English Language Learners

whir

noun

Definition of whir for English Language Learners

: the sound made by something that is spinning very fast

WHIR Defined for Kids

whir

verb \ ˈhwər , ˈwər \

Definition of whir for Students

whirred; whirring

:to fly, operate, or turn rapidly with a buzzing sound

… the machines stopped whirring, and from then on, not a single chocolate … was made.
—Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

whir

noun

Definition of whir for Students

:a buzzing sound made by something spinning or operating quickly

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