1
as in humming
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
the sound of droning bees all around us
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in idling
to spend time doing nothing
instead of getting a job, he preferred to drone and live off his parents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of droning
Here, a morning coffee on the sea-view private sun terrace comes complete with diving swifts and droning dragonflies, not to mention the sound of pulling tides.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
The constant, incessant, droning sounds in between each pitch that blare from the sound system are manufactured slop, screeching ‘NEW YORKKKKKKKK!
—Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Teak Didgeridoo Didgeridoos are wind instruments originating from Indigenous Australian culture and are typically used for rhythmic, droning sound production.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 9 Apr. 2026
The conventional gearbox also avoids the droning often associated with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs).
—New Atlas, 29 Mar. 2026
The album opens with droning, distorted guitars, a funereal chug enlivened by unexpectedly gargantuan drums.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
The muses of these two shows felt titillatingly out of reach, an arch if mischievous contrast to the many designers droning backstage about wanting to dress real women (and then giving them completely boring clothes).
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Whereas the film is madcap and edgy—even bratty—the Wuthering Heights album is sullen and stately, built upon strings and droning electronics.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
As far as Garland’s projects go, Devs comes closest to matching the paranoia and droning anxiety of the multi-hyphenate’s literary work.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
The constant, incessant, droning sounds in between each pitch that blare from the sound system are manufactured slop, screeching ‘NEW YORKKKKKKKK!
—Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Teak Didgeridoo Didgeridoos are wind instruments originating from Indigenous Australian culture and are typically used for rhythmic, droning sound production.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 9 Apr. 2026
The conventional gearbox also avoids the droning often associated with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs).
—New Atlas, 29 Mar. 2026
The album opens with droning, distorted guitars, a funereal chug enlivened by unexpectedly gargantuan drums.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
The muses of these two shows felt titillatingly out of reach, an arch if mischievous contrast to the many designers droning backstage about wanting to dress real women (and then giving them completely boring clothes).
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Whereas the film is madcap and edgy—even bratty—the Wuthering Heights album is sullen and stately, built upon strings and droning electronics.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
As far as Garland’s projects go, Devs comes closest to matching the paranoia and droning anxiety of the multi-hyphenate’s literary work.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for droning
Verb
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People who live near data centers also complain about noise pollution from the cooling systems data centers use for their computers, which sometimes produce a humming noise.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
-
Photo by Vardan Papikyan on Unsplash Somewhere inside every electric vehicle, every grid-scale solar installation, every military drone humming over a desert, there is a sliver of material most people will never think about.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Outside night clubs on Connecticut Avenue, girls hung out of the sunroofs of idling cars, cheering on the cops.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Parked beneath an overpass in central Tehran, 56-year-old Hossein Farmani was idling alongside other taxi drivers waiting for customers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Stockholm is buzzing with vitality and optimism for the future.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
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The spring and summer months bring buzzing bees, blooming flowers, sunny skies and baby deer.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The spiral of menace is breathtaking as Gary continues to dig them in deeper with his misplaced confidence and reckless moves, and a bone-chilling warning left in the dead of night forces Irwin to bring Hester up to date.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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Chill until ready to use (cover if chilling for longer than 30 minutes).—
Claire Saffitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 May 2026
Verb
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These palazzo pants are the sleek solution to looking put-together at the airport, walking around a new city, lounging by the pool, and more without sacrificing comfort.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
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The video opens with Earle lounging by the beach, basking in the sun.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Marcus tries to balance pushing Nick to keep playing while knowing his older brother has to do what’s best for him and his family.—
Joe Smith,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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Things get clubbier in the basement Music Room, all red velvet with an indoor-outdoor bar for smokers and a modelesque DJ playing pumping house on our visit.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
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Faster pit stops could also help unlock sales for electric two-wheelers, which have been slow to catch on due to dawdling charge times and limited riding range.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Mar. 2023
Verb
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The pair had been loafing for some time among a grove of apple trees on a private residence in Payson.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Within a few moments, an antlerless deer emerged, loafing along toward Ronnie, completely unalarmed.—
Jim Moore,
Outdoor Life,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Droning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/droning. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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