variants
also whirr
as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
a whir coming from the refrigerator
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also whirr
as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
the hummingbird whirred as it hovered over a flower our tires whirred as we traveled over the rough road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of whir
Maddie White,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
The world and her uncle come to the Czech capital to watch the 15th-century astronomical clock whirr and strike the hour, take endless selfies by the statues on Charles Bridge, and quaff beer in cobblestoned medieval courtyards.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Becky Duffett,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 June 2026
Humming cooling systems, rumbling diesel generators and whirring fans can be heard continuously hundreds of feet around them, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, prompting reports from residents of headaches, vertigo, nausea, sleep disturbances, ear pain and hypertension.
—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for whir
Noun
On the Iron Horse Regional Trail traversing Contra Costa and Alameda counties, the whir of electric bikes has become part of the summer soundtrack.
—
Maddie White,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
The world and her uncle come to the Czech capital to watch the 15th-century astronomical clock whirr and strike the hour, take endless selfies by the statues on Charles Bridge, and quaff beer in cobblestoned medieval courtyards.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
Clanging cable cars still climb up and down the streets, although these days they’re joined by self-driving taxis, an ever-present reminder of the whirring tech scene.
—
Becky Duffett,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 June 2026
Humming cooling systems, rumbling diesel generators and whirring fans can be heard continuously hundreds of feet around them, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, prompting reports from residents of headaches, vertigo, nausea, sleep disturbances, ear pain and hypertension.
—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for whir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whir
Noun
-
Even when guitarist Kurt Ballou’s noise screeches over the top, the low end remains like a persistent hum.
-
The town's hospital hums with constant activity, marking the scale of the outbreak in the town.
Verb
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Mosquitos buzz in, emerging from eggs laid in stagnant water across the region.
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London draws more than 30 million visitors annually, and along with its buzzing energy and endless opportunities comes one of the world’s most exciting food scenes.
Noun
-
Wafting odors of 100-octane gasoline and rumbling purrs of V8 engines punched through the overcast morning at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday as the Velocity Invitational car meet entered its second day.
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That detail has led researchers to wonder whether the purr is partly a self-healing mechanism, a body soothing itself from the inside out.
Cite this Entry
“Whir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whir. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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