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
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of hums
Leonie Baier, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2026
In Northern Virginia, known as Data Center Alley, some property owners have tried to escape continuous hums by selling their homes.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
For many people, the day doesn’t begin until the kettle whistles or the coffee maker hums.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
The branzino collars are repurposed as a riff on Buffalo wings, grilled and painted in a glaze that hits all the pleasure centers at once, with a bright, zingy vinegar punch that hums with heat.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Expect casual, bustling energy, plenty of TVs and a big deck that hums during warm-weather show nights.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 18 Feb. 2026
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
Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
One of Florida’s largest first-magnitude springs, Rainbow Springs anchors a 1,470-acre park that now hums with kayaks gliding over eelgrass, snorkelers drifting above schools of fish, and tubers laughing downstream on summer afternoons.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2026
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
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
Noun
Deep into the Panamanian night, the forest hums with sound.
—Leonie Baier, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2026
In Northern Virginia, known as Data Center Alley, some property owners have tried to escape continuous hums by selling their homes.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
For many people, the day doesn’t begin until the kettle whistles or the coffee maker hums.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
The branzino collars are repurposed as a riff on Buffalo wings, grilled and painted in a glaze that hits all the pleasure centers at once, with a bright, zingy vinegar punch that hums with heat.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Expect casual, bustling energy, plenty of TVs and a big deck that hums during warm-weather show nights.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 18 Feb. 2026
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
Verb
The group hums in agreement, offering dispatches from their own lives about thorny friendships.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
One of Florida’s largest first-magnitude springs, Rainbow Springs anchors a 1,470-acre park that now hums with kayaks gliding over eelgrass, snorkelers drifting above schools of fish, and tubers laughing downstream on summer afternoons.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2026
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
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
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
-
From early morning until sunset, the property buzzes with energy.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
-
On the ground level, Gaia Bar, situated in a quiet courtyard, is the place to enjoy a signature craft cocktail, while just outside, Athens buzzes with activity.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
5 Mar. 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
-
This chilling, starkly beautiful ambient piece draws Nebraska’s marginal whispers to the forefront and smears them across the picture plane.—
Sasha Geffen,
Pitchfork,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Jessica Alba's beau just quietly debunked whispers that the actress is secretly dating an NFL star.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Mar. 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 12 Mar. 2026.
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