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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to buzz

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 evening of the shoot, there was frequent hum of tourist helicopters circling the island, and a few party boats blasting music, which threatened to put a damper on the plans. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 The engine delivers a deep, purposeful hum rather than an all-out howl as the gears disappear in quick succession. — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Verb

The stock market gains that have helped keep the economy humming have exacerbated the yawning wealth gap. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 June 2026 Brynjolfsson is teaching overflow classes about AI and technological progress, as well as running a humming lab tracking AI’s effect on workers, firms, and human welfare. — Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hum

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum

Noun

Wafting odors of 100-octane gasoline and rumbling purrs of V8 engines punched through the overcast morning at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday as the Velocity Invitational car meet entered its second day.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2026
But a growing body of research suggests some of the most therapeutic sounds on earth are already in your home — your cat’s purr, rain on the window, birdsong outside.

— Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026

Definition of purr

Verb

Reservoirs were breached or burst after Tropical Storm Maysak hit Guangxi, sending torrents of water into towns and cities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
As other reviewers have also noted, sound quality is superb on the GA lawn, which was full to bursting with blankets and rentable lawn chairs.

— Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026

Definition of burst

Noun

But eccentricity is only the visible tip of the vast iceberg of Vibeke’s mental health issues, and soon Karl and Rikke are conferring in low whispers about whether, and when, to slip some ground-up sleeping pills into her drink.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 7 July 2026
Students enter the classroom about a minute later, and voices, whispers and laughter can be heard before the recording ends.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of whisper

Verb

My husband Grant Wahl's bulged and burst, at an age when this disease usually means something inherited.

— Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026
With a mouth that can stretch out as wide as rubber and eyes that seem perpetually on the verge of bulging out of their sockets, Campbell is the closest live-action screen actor equivalent cinema has ever had to Bugs Bunny.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026

Definition of bulge

Verb

This El Nino, which formed only last month, already zipped past the weak stage and is now considered moderate with no indications of slowing its strengthening, the government forecast said.

— Seth Borenstein, Fortune, 9 July 2026
In the fourth minute, striker Kylian Mbappé just missed putting Les Bleus up early with a shot that zipped by the left post.

— Jasmine Garsd, NPR, 9 July 2026

Definition of zip

Verb

Angela George The voting machines are whirring at a clip, which in turn makes the pace of the afternoon feel fast.

— Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 8 July 2026
But something about the collective excitement of a reunion struck a chord, and the machine started whirring.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 30 June 2026

Definition of whir

Browse Nearby Words

hulls

hum

human

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hum

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on hum

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

bibelot

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes