whir

1 of 2

verb

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Where machinery once whirred, the rooftop bar now offers 360-degree views of the city, with Cologne’s cathedral spires rising just beyond the . Katharina Kotrba, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 Through a basement maze of whirring industrial equipment are mundane-looking doors that lead to the unexpected. Alina Hartounian, NPR, 7 July 2025
Noun
This is a full-sensory experience with everything from the whir of roller skates on a retro rink to enough pink to make a flamingo blush. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Add to that the whir of appliances, the hum of HVAC systems, the clang of gym equipment, and the sirens of emergency vehicles, and the average auditory load becomes substantial. Bill Schiffmiller, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for whir

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of whir was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whir. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

whir

1 of 2 verb
variants also whirr
ˈhwər How to pronounce whir (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on whir

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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