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 zips
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.
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Recent Examples of hums
Emmet Livingstone,
NPR,
24 June 2026
The household hums with collective energy and vibrates with handiwork, intention, love.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
Dark and comfortable, Donna’s hums with reel-to-reel tape or vinyl most nights, the walls hung with museum-quality pieces.
—
Carrie Honaker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
This 1950s-era facility, one of five that turns out home appliances under familiar GE brands such as Hotpoint and Profile, is preparing to reclaim a manufacturing line that currently hums in China.
—
David J. Lynch,
Washington Post,
31 May 2026
Your 11th House of Friends hums as nurturing Moon opposes edgy Chiron in your 5th House of Creativity, asking balance between group plans and personal flair.
—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
For instance, many partners have small gripes or annoyances with habits that are annoying at worst, but far from an outright red flag — like a partner that chews somewhat loudly, leaves cabinet doors open or hums constantly while working.
—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Libra September 23 – October 22 Libra, teamwork hums when roles feel fair.
—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 May 2026
The broader economy hums along on the same frequency.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
6 May 2026
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 June 2026
To prevent its data centers from overheating, SpaceX plans to adopt liquid cooling, but not the kind that hums inside your desktop PC.
—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
9 June 2026
Cobbled together as a mixtape from a collection of leaks—allegedly because Veeze was holding onto a payload of Carti tracks—the tape hums along with a looseness that could only come from not being edited to death.
—
Matthew Ritchie,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
Michelle Williams On a cool spring morning at Booker Vineyard in Paso Robles, California, a drone hums low over the Syrah block.
—
Michelle Williams,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
While Perseverance hums along at a feature known as the Jezero crater, about 2,300 miles East the Curiosity rover has been exploring the ancient Gale Crater since 2012.
—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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,
8 May 2026
His body may be showing its age, but his mind still hums like the Big House before kickoff.
—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Now, with the case of Reiner, the machinery hums again.
—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
The town's hospital hums with constant activity, marking the scale of the outbreak in the town.
—
Emmet Livingstone,
NPR,
24 June 2026
The household hums with collective energy and vibrates with handiwork, intention, love.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
Dark and comfortable, Donna’s hums with reel-to-reel tape or vinyl most nights, the walls hung with museum-quality pieces.
—
Carrie Honaker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
This 1950s-era facility, one of five that turns out home appliances under familiar GE brands such as Hotpoint and Profile, is preparing to reclaim a manufacturing line that currently hums in China.
—
David J. Lynch,
Washington Post,
31 May 2026
Your 11th House of Friends hums as nurturing Moon opposes edgy Chiron in your 5th House of Creativity, asking balance between group plans and personal flair.
—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
For instance, many partners have small gripes or annoyances with habits that are annoying at worst, but far from an outright red flag — like a partner that chews somewhat loudly, leaves cabinet doors open or hums constantly while working.
—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Libra September 23 – October 22 Libra, teamwork hums when roles feel fair.
—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 May 2026
The broader economy hums along on the same frequency.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
This deck area positively hums with IG brunch-scene potential.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 June 2026
To prevent its data centers from overheating, SpaceX plans to adopt liquid cooling, but not the kind that hums inside your desktop PC.
—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
9 June 2026
Cobbled together as a mixtape from a collection of leaks—allegedly because Veeze was holding onto a payload of Carti tracks—the tape hums along with a looseness that could only come from not being edited to death.
—
Matthew Ritchie,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
Michelle Williams On a cool spring morning at Booker Vineyard in Paso Robles, California, a drone hums low over the Syrah block.
—
Michelle Williams,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
While Perseverance hums along at a feature known as the Jezero crater, about 2,300 miles East the Curiosity rover has been exploring the ancient Gale Crater since 2012.
—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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,
8 May 2026
His body may be showing its age, but his mind still hums like the Big House before kickoff.
—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Now, with the case of Reiner, the machinery hums again.
—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hums
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.
-
Honey is ready to bring love, purrs and playful cuddles to her forever home.
Verb
-
Every once in a while, a player buzzes in with an answer that truly catches fans off-guard.
-
So when something goes on in markets that inspires exuberance or fear, my phone buzzes.
Verb
-
Not to mention, your toiletry bag ends up far less chaotic and actually zips without a fight.
-
But the few times they’re forced to play their hurt feelings sincerely are as forced as the moment when Grace zips her gory wedding gown back on before it’s even been washed.
Noun
-
The whispers about the 41-year-old turned louder.
-
The yin and yang found in 21 Savage’s menacing whispers over the bass and drums, derivative of Tay Keith’s style, and his stark threats over Metro Boomin’s familiar keys create atmospheric success.
Verb
-
Just as the pair were celebrating finally taking Evan off-island for father-son bonding time on the mainland, a knock on the door bursts their bubble.
-
Haaland bursts our bubble almost immediately by scoring in the opening five minutes, and Burnley miss a few good first-half chances, with striker Zian Flemming particularly culpable.
Verb
-
The machine whirs to life, the smell of hot plastic slowly seeping into the air.
-
This vast bundle of life and existence whirrs continually, creating the comforting harmonic tone that defines this place.
Cite this Entry
“Hums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hums. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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