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
Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Flows are narcoleptic, drums are sporadic, and melodies are soft enough to live in a dollhouse.
—Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
Pepper is first seen teaching his girlfriend’s young daughter how to play drums.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore came to life on Thursday, booming with the sounds of fifes and drums, as hundreds of students watched.
—Madeline Burke, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The bassline could be similar, but the drums are not even in the same ballpark.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
The band members are Kris Bergmann on vocals, John Murphy on vocals and keyboards, Andrew Sage on vocals and guitar, Michael Schomaker on guitar, Dave Bell on bass and Mike Racer on drums.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
The album marks Mering’s first time executive-producing, working alongside her longtime collaborator Jonathan Rado and other producers, as well as Nick Movshon on bass, Homer Steinweiss on drums, Benny Bock on keyboards, and more.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
Did you guys know Frankie Muniz moved to Harrisburg for a minute to play drums in the band Kingsfoil?
—Spin Team, SPIN, 20 Apr. 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 Nuremberg rallies were simply political stage plays, with music from Wagner, drums, symmetrical marching formations, red flags, and gatherings often held in darkness to heighten the mood.
—Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Flows are narcoleptic, drums are sporadic, and melodies are soft enough to live in a dollhouse.
—Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
Pepper is first seen teaching his girlfriend’s young daughter how to play drums.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore came to life on Thursday, booming with the sounds of fifes and drums, as hundreds of students watched.
—Madeline Burke, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The bassline could be similar, but the drums are not even in the same ballpark.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
The band members are Kris Bergmann on vocals, John Murphy on vocals and keyboards, Andrew Sage on vocals and guitar, Michael Schomaker on guitar, Dave Bell on bass and Mike Racer on drums.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
The album marks Mering’s first time executive-producing, working alongside her longtime collaborator Jonathan Rado and other producers, as well as Nick Movshon on bass, Homer Steinweiss on drums, Benny Bock on keyboards, and more.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
Did you guys know Frankie Muniz moved to Harrisburg for a minute to play drums in the band Kingsfoil?
—Spin Team, SPIN, 20 Apr. 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
-
These include not throwing cigarettes or matches out of moving vehicles and covering burn barrels with weighted metal covers.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The pipeline had been closed but will be reopened soon due to the Hormuz disruption, reportedly with an initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Beyond its immediate subject, the film taps into broader concerns about the current global climate.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Every two years, the US taps an artist to transform its pavilion at the Venice Biennale.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The tins next move down a conveyor belt system, where the liquid cools and hardens before the tins are capped and shrink-wrapped.—
Gabriella Fine,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The magnetic tins stack neatly or stick to your fridge for convenient storage.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drums. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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