drum 1 of 2

noun

ˈdrəm How to pronounce drum (audio)
Definition of drumnext
as in barrel
a metal container in the shape of a cylinder an oil drum

Synonyms & Similar Words

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drum

2 of 2

verb

as in to tap
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically absentmindedly drumming his fingers on the table

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of drum
Noun
The quakes hit as La Guaira was marking the feast of San Juan, an annual celebration featuring the ritual beating of drums. — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 From there, Badu took a collection of Alchemist instrumentals and deconstructed them, reshaping his warm, punchy samples with everything from kalimba to layered chords and drums. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
This three-day festival will feature African dance workshops, drumming lessons, a cultural marketplace and food vendors at East Point City Annex. — Kayla Rivera, AJC.com, 14 July 2026 Rain drummed against the bus windshield on the drive to Michigan. — Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for drum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drum
  1. barrel
  2. tap
  3. tin
  4. bang
  5. bucket
Noun
  • On-again, off-again negotiations have shown little sign of a breakthrough, encouraging oil producers and Gulf nations to seek out other trade routes, some of which are already transporting millions of barrels each day.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Brent is back above $90 a barrel, sending stocks across Asia-Pacific into the red.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of barrel
Verb
  • Actor Brad Pitt has been tapped as an executive producer of a forthcoming film about the work of Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Before anyone could tap their heels on the floor and start the party, though, fire sprinklers went off unexpectedly in a nearby hotel room, forcing everyone to evacuate the building.
    — DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of tap
Noun
  • Don’t try hiding the trap under a tin or inside a cabinet; the flies need easy access.
    — Emma Jacobson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Plus, sardines are often packed in tins with extra virgin olive oil, so you get added anti-inflammatory benefits.
    — Marie Bladt, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tin
Verb
  • These were people who would insist that their American passenger ride in the cab of a trade truck rather than stand in the open back with 20 passengers banging into each other and a couple of goats for hours.
    — Ethan Gologor, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • In the building across the street, an old woman came out onto her balcony in a nightgown, a toddler in tow, and began banging a pot.
    — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • Vendors gather their primary ingredient from local elementary schools, where young boys relieve themselves in buckets.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026
  • She was inspired by the example of Sarah Nixon, who, from 2001 to 2021, planted flowers in neighbors’ yards in Toronto and sold weekly flower-bucket and arrangement subscriptions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of bucket

Phrases Containing drum

Browse Nearby Words

drugstores
drum
drumbeat
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Cite this Entry

“Drum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drum. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on drum

Nglish: Translation of drum for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drum

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