as in purrs
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
1
2
as in zips
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
a helicopter hummed overhead
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Recent Examples of hums
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
One hums with high-speed drills and anxiety; the other echoes with joyful barks and tail wags.
—Henry I. Miller, STAT, 28 Jan. 2026
While most of the country huddles indoors against the winter chill, the City by the Bay hums with a unique energy—born from its legacy as one of the world’s true cultural capitals.
—Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The musical prose hums with different accents, most evidently with Milena’s quips in French and Enzo’s Levantine lilt.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
Torpön hums with activity in the summer — kayaking, paddleboarding, boating — but winters are long and quiet, the island more or less deserted.
—Cnn, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
For example, the device may reduce amplification in a quiet room to avoid escalating background hums or else increase amplification in a noisy café to make speech more intelligible.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2026
The mountain hums with energy, but never chaos.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 15 Dec. 2025
In the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, Felipe’s Heladería hums with a nostalgic rhythm—whirring blenders, clinking spoons, and that telltale chorus of people debating toppings.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 2025
Carrie Honaker, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Feb. 2026
Even in his stillest moments, Reilly hums with the restlessness of a jazz explorer.
—Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
San Francisco’s rooftop bars deliver a heady blend of skyline drama and cocktail craft—Starlite brings its storied perch back to life with Art Deco shimmer and late‑night DJ sets, while Cavaña hums with Latin spirits and sweeping Bay Bridge views.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Best Time To Visit The best time to visit Delray Beach is from late April through early June, when the city still hums with energy but sheds the intensity of peak season.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2026
Jaipur is joyful, loud and full of stories — a city that hums with color, history, and life.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
The crowd hums with anticipation — half nerves, half adrenaline.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 11 Jan. 2026
More than a century later, that idea still hums inside the company's workshop.
—Tom Barnas, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
The machine that usually hums with ruthless efficiency looked broken, battered, and completely devoid of answers.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
The score hums and pulses with modern unease, making the film feel like a fever dream that happens to borrow Brontë’s names.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
One hums with high-speed drills and anxiety; the other echoes with joyful barks and tail wags.
—Henry I. Miller, STAT, 28 Jan. 2026
While most of the country huddles indoors against the winter chill, the City by the Bay hums with a unique energy—born from its legacy as one of the world’s true cultural capitals.
—Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The musical prose hums with different accents, most evidently with Milena’s quips in French and Enzo’s Levantine lilt.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
Torpön hums with activity in the summer — kayaking, paddleboarding, boating — but winters are long and quiet, the island more or less deserted.
—Cnn, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
For example, the device may reduce amplification in a quiet room to avoid escalating background hums or else increase amplification in a noisy café to make speech more intelligible.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2026
The mountain hums with energy, but never chaos.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 15 Dec. 2025
In the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, Felipe’s Heladería hums with a nostalgic rhythm—whirring blenders, clinking spoons, and that telltale chorus of people debating toppings.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 2025
Verb
The area hums with culture, from galleries and artisan boutiques to live music at Stinky’s Bait Shack (go Fridays and see Matt Miller, fiddler extraordinaire) and the 30A Songwriters Festival.
—Carrie Honaker, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Feb. 2026
Even in his stillest moments, Reilly hums with the restlessness of a jazz explorer.
—Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
San Francisco’s rooftop bars deliver a heady blend of skyline drama and cocktail craft—Starlite brings its storied perch back to life with Art Deco shimmer and late‑night DJ sets, while Cavaña hums with Latin spirits and sweeping Bay Bridge views.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Best Time To Visit The best time to visit Delray Beach is from late April through early June, when the city still hums with energy but sheds the intensity of peak season.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2026
Jaipur is joyful, loud and full of stories — a city that hums with color, history, and life.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
The crowd hums with anticipation — half nerves, half adrenaline.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 11 Jan. 2026
More than a century later, that idea still hums inside the company's workshop.
—Tom Barnas, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
The machine that usually hums with ruthless efficiency looked broken, battered, and completely devoid of answers.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hums
Noun
-
Washington delivers the dialogue with a thrilling range from purrs to roars, all imbued with an authoritative swagger.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Take their purrs, for example, which are known to vibrate at frequencies that can reduce stress and soothe anxiety.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Your 3rd House of Communication buzzes when the instinctive Moon enters, inspiring quick messages and neighborly chats that brighten your day.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The energy and excitement of a diverse crowd buzzes as silverware and glasses clink.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As of now, the areas with the greatest threat to see any significant accumulation would be the farthest southeastern parts of our region before the storm zips off to the east.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The recent whispers were inspired by a resurfaced Comic-Con clip in which Claffey's 11-year-old costar, Dexter Sol Ansell, appears to confirm that the former Superman actor will appear in season 2 of AKOTSK.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Feb. 2026
-
To listen to these quiet galactic whispers, scientists need the right tools.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The 60-year immigration bubble finally bursts.—
,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hums. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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