as in taps
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically
absentmindedly drumming his fingers on the table
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drums
Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
On April 12, 1962, Black men, women, and children packed into Philadelphia’s Times Auditorium and milled about to the low, rhythmic beating of African drums until the lights dimmed and Moore took the stage.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
So Keith Moon’s drums are mostly recorded as a mono signal.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
After watching Sun Ra and His Arkestra rehearse at a nearby tavern, DeJohnette was invited into the fold and played drums for the outfit in an ad-hoc arrangement that continued into the 1960s as his status grew.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2025
Takaichi played drums in a heavy metal band in college and lists scuba diving, playing musical instruments, martial arts and watching baseball as hobbies.
—Selina Wang, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025
The Ministry of Health & Wellness advised Jamaicans to punch holes in old cans and cover water drums to cut down on the mosquito breeding because mosquito control activities wouldn’t happen until well after Melissa.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Archaeologist Mechael Osband said the column drums were laid along a path in the village, which intrigued excavators.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
His playing has now come to be an omen of danger, so visitors who hear drums playing should be wary.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
The video cuts to Camila, who reads the report outloud as Matthew drums on the bongo and offers his commentary on the report.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Some of the pressure on federal lawmakers is also shifting to state-level leaders to fill the gaps as the shutdown drums on.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
These cues told the robot which drums to strike and when.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
DeJohnette pivoted to the drums after a friend left a drum kit in his family’s basement.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
On April 12, 1962, Black men, women, and children packed into Philadelphia’s Times Auditorium and milled about to the low, rhythmic beating of African drums until the lights dimmed and Moore took the stage.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
So Keith Moon’s drums are mostly recorded as a mono signal.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
After watching Sun Ra and His Arkestra rehearse at a nearby tavern, DeJohnette was invited into the fold and played drums for the outfit in an ad-hoc arrangement that continued into the 1960s as his status grew.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2025
Takaichi played drums in a heavy metal band in college and lists scuba diving, playing musical instruments, martial arts and watching baseball as hobbies.
—Selina Wang, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025
The Ministry of Health & Wellness advised Jamaicans to punch holes in old cans and cover water drums to cut down on the mosquito breeding because mosquito control activities wouldn’t happen until well after Melissa.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Archaeologist Mechael Osband said the column drums were laid along a path in the village, which intrigued excavators.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
His playing has now come to be an omen of danger, so visitors who hear drums playing should be wary.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
Instead of another room with a priest and young woman growling on the bed, the exorcisms in The Wailing are accompanied by chanting crowds, firepits, and drums beating as a great spectacle is made of the ritual.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
The video cuts to Camila, who reads the report outloud as Matthew drums on the bongo and offers his commentary on the report.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Some of the pressure on federal lawmakers is also shifting to state-level leaders to fill the gaps as the shutdown drums on.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
These cues told the robot which drums to strike and when.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drums
Noun
-
Melissa barrels into Cuba ⛈️ After hammering Jamaica with high winds and torrential rains, Hurricane Melissa, downgraded on Wednesday to a Category 2 storm (from a Cat 5), barreled into Cuba.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
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With the new label, Heersink expects in 2026 to double the 300 barrels Spare Keg brewed this year.—
Max Scheinblum,
Denver Post,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Sam Altman’s brain-computer interface startup reportedly taps star biomolecular engineer Mikhail Shapiro.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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The organization taps a multidisciplinary group of physicians, scientists, chemists, engineers, epidemiologists, economists, psychologists, statisticians, sociologists, and community members to turn scientific discovery into actionable knowledge.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drums. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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