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

At Maywood’s Riverfront Park, Ma was accompanied by the vroom of nearby traffic, cascade of a yucca rainstick and burbling hum of a water synth. — Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 The seventh-floor lobby hums with Adorn Bar and Lounge, coworking tables, and live music Thursday through Sunday. — Rima Suqi, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026

Verb

But for a staff currently humming along with the third-best ERA in the majors, there is danger in disruption. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 As the tattoo machine hummed across her leg, Savanna Georges watched another chapter of her faith take shape in ink. — Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 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

The flames that burst from each copper pipe aren’t responsible for generating the organ’s tones.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026
The Saturday morning calm at Catalina Island Health’s two-bed emergency room was broken just before noon, when two tourists with arm injuries burst in within minutes of one another.

— Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of burst

Verb

Quinnen Williams & Kenny Clark Much was made about Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark both getting a full offseason with the team this year, and if their start to camp is any indication, that buzz was for good reason.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2026
Obsession claimed Best Horror Movie and Best Actress in a Horror Movie for Inde Navarrette, who has sparked awards buzz ever since the record-breaking film first swept the box office.

— Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of buzz

Noun

Furthermore, the collaboration advanced a large-area ammonia compressor, which could bring this whisper-quiet technology closer to commercial use in noise-sensitive environments like hospitals, schools, and homes.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
Delicate Japanese simplicity prevails while leaving whispers of the original French palatial style—such as distinctive moldings that are unique to the building.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of whisper

Verb

As the compressed sides bulge outward under load, the tower’s structural strength drops sharply, frequently triggering sudden buckling or catastrophic collapse.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026
Okegbe recommends immediately discarding any can that’s bulging, leaking, heavily rusted, or dented.

— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 26 July 2026

Definition of bulge

Browse Nearby Words

hulls

hum

human

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“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of hum

noun

verb

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