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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in whirrs
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 hums
Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Also like Lynch, Robinson’s onscreen world hums with quiet dread, a sense that something sinister lurks just beneath the veil of the everyday banal.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
The city, 60 kilometres from the frontlines, hums with school bells, playgrounds echo with sports practice and friends laugh and play in the streets.
—Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
But if hotel noises, traffic rumbles, or plane hums keep you from getting some shut-eye, this compact sound machine may become your best travel companion.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025
Schumann Resonance Time Acceleration Schumann resonances are natural, low-frequency electromagnetic hums that form in the cavity between Earth’s surface and the ionosphere (50-600 miles above the surface).
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
The lobby bar, meanwhile, hums as the social engine of the property.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
While the major theories of consciousness differ in many ways, most agree that consciousness arises when enough of the brain’s cortex — the outermost layer, responsible for high-level functions such as thought and memory — hums in coordinated harmony.
—Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Once a sleepy town, Hudson has reinvented itself as a trend-forward haunt that draws New Yorkers seeking tranquility—yet still hums with a lively energy.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2025
The porch smells faintly of lime and ginger, and the house hums the way houses do when a good conversation has just ended.
—Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The sound of K-pop also hums through the other magical elements of the film, especially HUNTR/X’s weapons and the strange familiars that Rumi and Ji-noo (Ahn Hyo-seop) use to communicate with each other across enemy lines.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
In late spring, the city hums with farmers’ markets, craft beer events and bike rides along blooming lakefront paths.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The Windom neighborhood still hums with late-August cicadas and sparrows, the sounds of summer carrying on as always.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
Other must-tries include the Greek specialties, cemented by founder and late entrepreneur Pete Contos, as well as a seat at the classic diner counter that hums with an energy like no other.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
Back at its Utah HQ, where the walls are lined with pink Crumbl University diplomas and the test kitchen hums with invention, the next big flavor is already in the oven.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Also like Lynch, Robinson’s onscreen world hums with quiet dread, a sense that something sinister lurks just beneath the veil of the everyday banal.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
The city, 60 kilometres from the frontlines, hums with school bells, playgrounds echo with sports practice and friends laugh and play in the streets.
—Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
But if hotel noises, traffic rumbles, or plane hums keep you from getting some shut-eye, this compact sound machine may become your best travel companion.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025
Schumann Resonance Time Acceleration Schumann resonances are natural, low-frequency electromagnetic hums that form in the cavity between Earth’s surface and the ionosphere (50-600 miles above the surface).
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
The lobby bar, meanwhile, hums as the social engine of the property.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
While the major theories of consciousness differ in many ways, most agree that consciousness arises when enough of the brain’s cortex — the outermost layer, responsible for high-level functions such as thought and memory — hums in coordinated harmony.
—Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
The machinery of violence here hums louder each week.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Once a sleepy town, Hudson has reinvented itself as a trend-forward haunt that draws New Yorkers seeking tranquility—yet still hums with a lively energy.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2025
The porch smells faintly of lime and ginger, and the house hums the way houses do when a good conversation has just ended.
—Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The sound of K-pop also hums through the other magical elements of the film, especially HUNTR/X’s weapons and the strange familiars that Rumi and Ji-noo (Ahn Hyo-seop) use to communicate with each other across enemy lines.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
In late spring, the city hums with farmers’ markets, craft beer events and bike rides along blooming lakefront paths.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The Windom neighborhood still hums with late-August cicadas and sparrows, the sounds of summer carrying on as always.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
Other must-tries include the Greek specialties, cemented by founder and late entrepreneur Pete Contos, as well as a seat at the classic diner counter that hums with an energy like no other.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hums
Noun
-
But the other people who live nearby may not be so easily swayed by those adorable puppy dog eyes or precious purrs and might get very irritated.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Washington delivers the dialogue with a thrilling range from purrs to roars, all imbued with an authoritative swagger.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The air buzzes with nostalgia and pride as alumni return to the yard, reconnecting with old classmates, sharing stories, and celebrating the legacy that shaped them.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Spaces to roam are flanked by a central courtyard restaurant that buzzes with diners who feast over The House’s signature lobster pasta, moquecas (Brazilian fish stew), and cassava gnocchi.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
When cornerback Jalen Ramsey was still with the team, there were whispers around the facility that Ramsey and wide receiver Tyreek Hill were taking advantage of the freedoms they were given.—
Greg Liodice,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Castle Hill Inn is said to be haunted by a female ghost, and whispers have been heard and presences have been felt at The Jailhouse Inn, which served its namesake purpose from 1772 to 1986.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hums. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share