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
Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2026
In the nearby woods, a woodpecker drums for its mate.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
This tour, however, is no-Fats and also no-fat, with her and just a basic guitar-bass-drums lineup.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
Luca, the drummer for the Hazards, plays bass for Elemental Sparks as Julian takes the drums.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
So Gadson taught himself how to play the drums.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
Thunder sticks are so loud that they were banned at the World Baseball Classic finals, even as drums, trumpets and cowbells were permitted.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
At the time, Gadson played drums with Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band and recorded three studio albums.
—Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
The vocals are loud and clear, and the drums have good punch, though the cymbals lack clarity and sparkle.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
The cut opens with a robotic assemblage of classic synth sounds that briefly gives way to swinging drums and a bright piano melody.
—Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2026
In the nearby woods, a woodpecker drums for its mate.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
This tour, however, is no-Fats and also no-fat, with her and just a basic guitar-bass-drums lineup.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
Luca, the drummer for the Hazards, plays bass for Elemental Sparks as Julian takes the drums.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
So Gadson taught himself how to play the drums.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
Thunder sticks are so loud that they were banned at the World Baseball Classic finals, even as drums, trumpets and cowbells were permitted.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
At the time, Gadson played drums with Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band and recorded three studio albums.
—Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
The vocals are loud and clear, and the drums have good punch, though the cymbals lack clarity and sparkle.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
Krieger and Densmore, the two surviving members of The Doors, are the backbone of the video, revisiting the signature guitar and drums parts more than a half-century after they were originally laid to wax.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
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
-
Nearly 1 billion barrels will be lost by the end of the month, comprising up to 600 million barrels of crude oil and roughly 350 million barrels of refined products like jet fuel, diesel and gasoline, McKay said.—
Spencer Kimball,Pippa Stevens,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Bank of America estimates that in March alone, the world economy lost about 14 million to 15 million barrels per day of crude oil and energy products like diesel and jet fuel.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The event taps into a broader effort by the entire Cannes ecosystem to converse with the creator industry, with TikTok having come on board as a festival sponsor back in 2022 — the first digital-media app to do so.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
-
How to appeal strike zone decisions in ABS To request a review, a player taps his hat or helmet.—
Neil Nakahodo,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While strawberry shortcakes are usually made with biscuits, this recipe swaps them for tender little cakes baked in muffin tins.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Launched by Wrigley in the early 2000s in those iconic metal tins, they were discontinued around 2010 due to declining sales.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drums. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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