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 bread machine works on a timer and hums along at its regular pace. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2026 The hum of the unmanned aircraft, which have been conducting deadly strikes on the city for months, has become the soundtrack to their days. — Kate Bartlett, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026

Verb

The insects protect their queen, collecting in a roiling, humming mass on his hand. — Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2026 Director and co-screenwriter Cal Brunker keeps the 90-minute movie humming along at a fast clip, and even includes a Tough Mudder-like flashback of Marshall trying to clear a wall during his rescue training. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hum

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum

Noun

Kimie Smothermon begins each day greeted by the squeals, chirps and purrs of nearly 400 guinea pigs.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
In the mid-1970s, Slash’s mother, the costume designer Ola Hudson, worked on the American production of The Rocky Horror Show, whose Frank-N-Furter is the unmistakable touchstone of Bourzgui’s David, down to the depraved purr.

— Sarah Grant, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of purr

Verb

The Briton burst onto the scene last season, and already has 19 professional wins — his Vuelta debut has been much anticipated as Visma search for Van Aert’s long-term replacement.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Pritzker celebrated the groundbreaking of several new data centers in Illinois before AI significantly burst onto the scene, including the opening of Meta’s data center in DeKalb in November 2023.

— Ben Szalinski, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of burst

Verb

Summary Tonight, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is buzzing for the WBA welterweight title clash between Rolly Romero and Teofimo Lopez.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Smith’s chemistry with Mitchell has been buzzing since the spring, but his connection with the Jets’ top receiver has been building all summer.

— Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of buzz

Noun

Moves for Anan Khalaili and Zavier Gozo are being finalised, and with both able to play right wing-back, there are whispers Daniel Munoz may be sold.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
That is, the ability to provide the benefits of modern speech interfaces without the need for users to speak audibly, even at a whisper.

— Greg Uyeno, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of whisper

Verb

Infants may act sluggish or not active, vomit, be unusually fussy, face poor feeding, show a bulging soft spot on the head, or show poor reflexes.

— Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Padmini came in about ten minutes later, carrying a net bag bulging with okra and shiny gourds.

— Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of bulge

Verb

Across the city yesterday morning, yellow school buses zipped through streets.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Facing second-and-4 in the second quarter, Browning took a shotgun snap, and Anudike-Uzomah was there in an instant, zipping by Tampa Bay third-string tackle Marshall Fournier for a free shot on Browning.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of zip

Verb

As the machine whirred to life, the film strip moved from a large platter through a system of rollers, pulled sideways across the front of the lens.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
In the corner of a nondescript office in Sheffield, a city in the north of England, a compact server full of Nvidia chips is whirring away.

— Billy Perrigo, Time, 17 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of hum

noun

verb

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