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 trailer had piles of debris stacked all around it, including three ladders, four bike frames, eight tires, plywood, 5 gallons of motor oil and five black 55-gallon drums. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 7 July 2026 On Role Model Hermit, their full-length debut, drums fall like the last fat drops of a midday downpour. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026
Verb
And drumming — so much drumming. — Tomás Hill López-Menchero, New York Times, 15 June 2026 Han starts drumming on the table with his empty cup. — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for drum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drum
  1. barrel
  2. tap
  3. tin
  4. bang
  5. bucket
Noun
  • That waterway has taken on new significance since the start of the war, as Saudi Arabia now diverts millions of barrels of crude there to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • The price of Brent crude climbed to just over $84 a barrel after soaring nearly 10% on Monday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Definition of barrel
Verb
  • Though most of Simplifyber’s customer work since launching in 2020 remains confidential, the company has already been tapped by cool-girl brand Ganni for footwear and Kia for automotive materials.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 10 July 2026
  • Open the Instagram app, tap your profile, and then tap the three lines in the top-right corner of the screen.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 10 July 2026
Definition of tap
Noun
  • Local governments have opened emergency shelters, which have been nearing capacity, as residents in low-lying areas and those living in wood and tin homes have especially sought refuge.
    — Kristin Wright, NPR, 5 July 2026
  • Fortunately, that something can be as easy as spicing it with ginger, perfuming it with florals or smoke, or easier still and our favorite version, adding a grapefruit peel to the shaker tin before shaking on ice.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 4 July 2026
Definition of tin
Verb
  • Then the team did it, sitting on the field after beating Ivory Coast to reach the round of 16, with captain Martin Odegaard banging the drum.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • Especially the guy who bangs a wrecking ball against the historic East Wing to make room for an incongruous ballroom monstrosity, who mars the sacred Oval Office with gold glitter and paves over the lovely Rose Garden.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • Ray Boshara, a senior policy advisor at the Aspen Institute, says that lower-income families will primarily benefit from having that digital donation bucket that can accrue contributions for their kids.
    — Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 8 July 2026
  • Give yourself a few years of spending window and put that into a bucket that isn’t correlated with the markets and draw from that.
    — R.J. Cunningham, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of bucket

Phrases Containing drum

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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 14 Jul. 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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