as in purr
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
we heard the hum of an outboard motor and a few minutes later the small craft came into sight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hum
Essence, 21 Oct. 2025
If the motor hums loudly or constantly, check whether the ductwork is damaged.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2025
Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
For example, from the front porch of a nearby house, wind turbines don't typically sound louder than a household refrigerator, which hums at around 55 dBA.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Noun
The usual hum of blow dryers and laughter is gone.
—Essence, 21 Oct. 2025
If the motor hums loudly or constantly, check whether the ductwork is damaged.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
Or that the offense was humming.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
For example, from the front porch of a nearby house, wind turbines don't typically sound louder than a household refrigerator, which hums at around 55 dBA.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum
Noun
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Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of how cats purr.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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The purr of an engine was the pulse of performance – until a quiet revolution started taking shape under the surface.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Messi picked up the ball from his compatriot Rodrigo De Paul in midfield and burst toward the backpedaling Nashville back line before slipping the ball outside to Luis Suárez.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The areas facing the sun heat up fastest, and if there is a weaker area on the surface of the comet, sublimated gases under the surface can burst through — causing these sun-facing jets.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Days before, the city was buzzing with intense preparations and great anticipation.—
Laura Gómez,
Billboard,
27 Oct. 2025
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Among A-list sightings that had the whole crowd buzzing was Hailey Bieber and Miley Cyrus, who sat beside each other in matching leather looks.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Yet the chairman Ron Noades and Coppell heard whispers of transfer interest.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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For nearly a century, filmmakers have known that jewels speak a visual language of their own—each sparkle a whisper of glamour, danger, or desire—while the jeweler becomes co-director and the gem a co-star.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Around the same time, Ortega-Jiménez discovered that spiderwebs deform when positively charged insects fly by, bulging out to ensnare them.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025
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Dragged down by steep declines at its star brand Gucci and a bulging debt load, Kering has also been closing stores, selling real estate and reducing headcount after a dismal start to the year that saw group net profit plummet 46 percent in the first half.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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High in the hills near the Myanmar border, Ban Rak Thai greets the morning with the smell of oolong and the soft rustle of tea leaves.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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As Denver’s locker room echoes with the empty rustles of equipment staffers, Jahdae Barron lingers.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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There’s a big difference between occasionally dabbling in a few sailings to the Bahamas—or perhaps zipping about on a speedboat—and true expertise in the water.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
22 Oct. 2025
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But Martin truly shone with the ball in his hand, coaches said, zipping downfield with a springy first step.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The base is a single can of black beans, whirred together in a food processor with taco seasoning or a quick pinch of whatever spices are around.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
14 Oct. 2025
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Helicopters constantly whir overhead and the demonstrations often force traffic to come to a stop or to slow at major thoroughfares.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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