as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
heard the burr of a distant engine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burr
Josh Owens, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Dust electronics with a microfiber cloth, and don't forget to clean cords and cables, where dust, hair, and other debris can turn into dust bunnies that cling like burrs.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2026
For years, Surf City conservatives like Gates have reveled in playing the burr in the saddle of deep blue California.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
It’s infused into a patient’s brain through burr holes drilled through their skulls.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burr
Noun
His tone had a burr of excitement that didn’t match the words.
—Josh Owens, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Dust electronics with a microfiber cloth, and don't forget to clean cords and cables, where dust, hair, and other debris can turn into dust bunnies that cling like burrs.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2026
For years, Surf City conservatives like Gates have reveled in playing the burr in the saddle of deep blue California.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
It’s infused into a patient’s brain through burr holes drilled through their skulls.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burr
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burr
Noun
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Set the scene One of the very smartest hotel addresses in London, The Connaught Hotel’s energy crackles and fizzes from morning through night, with coming and goings, reunions, a hum of excitement and a permanent sense of occasion.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
The sound of chopping and plates clattering echoes through the open room, where conversation builds into a steady hum that fills every corner.—
Eva Remijan-Toba,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The Coburg Bar buzzes with a zappy, more visible, businesses-like energy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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Fans of the legendary designer and his whimsical, punk, off-kilter designs have been buzzing since the recent announcement that the Marc Jacobs Beauty brand would be making a triumphant return after a five-year hiatus.—
Kelsey Legg,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
Noun
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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.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
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But a growing body of research suggests some of the most therapeutic sounds on earth are already in your home — your cat’s purr, rain on the window, birdsong outside.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Boaters, the attorney added, can zip in and out of a channel and should — but are not required to — stay on the correct side of the channel.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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Outside, seagulls caw and commuters zip into the ferry terminal across Alaskan Way.—
Allecia Vermillion,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
26 May 2026
Noun
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In a distant forest, the monument to his reckless fretwork rustles in the treetops and hums with beehives like the watts in a worn, weary amp burning, crackling for release.—
Tyehimba Jess,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Everything is quiet apart from the rustle of leaves and the gentle murmur of voices from the bar.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There had been political whispers in South Windsor since the November election about whether the decision disqualifying Amadasun was part of a Republican ploy to keep Democrats from achieving a council supermajority.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2026
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This might be as simple as a public argument – hissing whispers in an elevator.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burr.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burr. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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