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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hum
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 21 June 2025
Step off the humming streets of Taipei, through the glass doors of the Mandarin Oriental, and the city’s energy fades behind thick stone walls.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
With their defensive limitations, the Knicks need to make sure the offense is humming more often than not.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 17 June 2025
But Trump’s ramping up of restrictions and public scrutiny of China risks putting sugar in the gas tank just as the engine started humming again.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Verb
For people with air-conditioning, window units and central air will be humming for days on end.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 21 June 2025
Step off the humming streets of Taipei, through the glass doors of the Mandarin Oriental, and the city’s energy fades behind thick stone walls.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
With their defensive limitations, the Knicks need to make sure the offense is humming more often than not.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 17 June 2025
But Trump’s ramping up of restrictions and public scrutiny of China risks putting sugar in the gas tank just as the engine started humming again.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum
Noun
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In a clever flex of corporate synergy, Apple promoted its first summer blockbuster with the release of a haptic trailer that imitates the purr of an F1 engine in the palms of your hands.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
17 June 2025
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Baldwin’s husky purr of a voice sets the table for the events of the film, before settling back to pop in every now and then with an omniscient insight or unspoken truth.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
Verb
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The actor and writer burst onto the scene at only 17 years old when director Michael Mayer found him and cast him as Ernst in the off-Broadway production of Spring Awakening, a role Glick reprised in the hit Broadway production.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
30 June 2025
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The Cow burst onto the scene as an indictment of the rural poverty in which millions of Iranians lived.—
Tiara Ataii,
Vulture,
24 June 2025
Verb
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At home, appliances hum, HVAC systems cycle, lawn mowers and leaf blowers buzz outside, and doorbells, phones, and televisions interrupt the quiet.—
Bill Schiffmiller,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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The notifications buzzing in her back pocket were becoming more frantic, arriving every few minutes now.—
Zadie Smith,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Noun
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On a sunlit slope above the Aegean, the ruins of an old Greek estate whisper stories of power, legacy, and familial pride.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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What was once spoken only in whispers, if at all, by our mothers and grandmothers, is now trending on TikTok.—
Time,
Time,
26 June 2025
Verb
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In every photo, Tater's eyes bulged with what can only be described as pure joy.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
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Originally misdiagnosed with a bulging disk, a surgeon discovered a spinal fracture during McQueen’s time off this season, and got him on a proper healing regimen.—
Carol Schram,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Noun
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When that harmony hits, the sale becomes a symphony: the crack of the register, the rustle of the bag, the quiet thrill of being chosen.—
Joel Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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There was no answer, just a footstep behind him and the rustle of a dress.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Bats are amazing creatures that zip through the night skies on a mission: To hunt and devour insects.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
24 June 2025
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Sturdy pieces zip together to closely resemble a traditional mattress.—
Scott Gilbertson,
Wired News,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Fans whirred in all the rooms and often the sound of the air moving was the only sound Lucy heard.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
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Four days per week, nurse anesthetist Mike O’Dell spends his 10-hour shifts sitting in a swivel chair shoved between pieces of towering, whirring operating equipment.—
Megan Sauer
Ryan Johnston,
CNBC,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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