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
-
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
-
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.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
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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
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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