HUM Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

hum 1 of 2

noun

Definition of hum

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

hum

2 of 2

verb

ˈhəm

as in to burst

to be copiously supplied one restaurant was humming with diners, while a neighboring eatery was practically empty

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to buzz

to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound a helicopter hummed overhead

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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 hum

Noun

The noise in Granbury, Texas, that started as a hum in the summer of 2023 had by January begun to disturb her at all hours. — Tavleen Tarrant, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2026 The technology adapts the physics of Helmholtz resonance, which is the physical phenomenon behind the hum produced by blowing across a bottle neck. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026

Verb

Sandra Ogbebor hunches over her softly humming refrigerator and scours through bottles before finally yanking out an orange juice. — Light Oriye Tamunotonye, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Sep. 2026 But even humming can conjure feelings, mostly because Austin is among a select few who possess profound memories of the icon behind the music. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hum

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum

Noun

Highlights and experiences It is always a special event stepping out of Venice’s airport onto a pontoon and a polished mahogany water taxi that drops you off canalside near your hotel, after a purr through the Grand Canal.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
Kimie Smothermon begins each day greeted by the squeals, chirps and purrs of nearly 400 guinea pigs.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of purr

Verb

The Fire Department rescued numerous residents who had become trapped by the flames, which were seen bursting from the building, KCTV5 reported at the time.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
The illusion of a beautiful, war-free Dresden, however, would soon burst for these men, going as flat as the champagne bubbles after the wedding of Billy Pilgrim’s daughter.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of burst

Verb

Flies buzz over the rotting carcass, which is riven by claw marks so unnaturally deep that no one can determine whomauledit.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
At the AfD’s final preelection rally Thursday in the state capital, Magdeburg, a crowd of 6,000 is buzzing.

— Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of buzz

Noun

Maybe the lasting message of Furious, until its second season arrives, is that there are no answers — or at least, none that can be said louder than a whisper shared between new friends bonding during a jailhouse meeting.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
The extent of his former client list was unearthed through whispers and gossip.

— Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of whisper

Verb

At the end of his second-round match against Hubert Hurkacz, an eye-bulging celebration followed a relentless performance against a very tricky opponent.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Inside, the main route to the galleries is down a stairwell between rough black bulging walls.

— Michael Joseph Gross, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of bulge

Verb

While there aren’t windows, open the outer canvas flap, keep the screen zipped, and let the light pour in.

— Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Neutrinos, which are produced in the sun as well as other astrophysical sources and are constantly zipping through the Earth, are notoriously difficult to measure.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of zip

Verb

The jumpers climbed into the belly of a maroon-and-white jumpship as its propellers began to whir and then roar.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Inside one of American Royal’s vast new barns, the smell of fresh paint still lingers as the hum of whirring drills and construction equipment fills the space just over 15 days until its first event on the new campus.

— Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of whir

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hulls

hum

human

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“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of hum

noun

verb

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