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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hums
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
Amid enthusiasm there is also concern At the river separating Oiapoque from French Guiana, a small port hums with boats linking Brazil, its neighbor and nearby communities.
—Gabriela Sá Pessoa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
At the river separating Oiapoque from French Guiana, a small port hums with boats linking Brazil, its neighbor and nearby communities.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
September 23 – October 22 Steady confidence hums beneath today’s plans.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2026
Yet, just three blocks away, the 181 Fremont tower hums with startups, artificial intelligence firms and new tenants snapping up space that was abandoned after Meta fled.
—Laura Waxmann, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2026
Your 12th House of Inner Worlds hums as the Moon grumbles at combative Mars in your philosophical 9th house, making private worries flare when big debates start circling.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 24 Mar. 2026
Music hums from cars, people linger in clusters, and no one seems to be getting gas.
—Ryan Nickerson, Houston Chronicle, 21 Mar. 2026
On most days, the children’s adventure garden at the Dallas Arboretum hums with the chatter of curious kids.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
Ciara Lucas, SELF, 4 Apr. 2026
Your neighbor might rely on an oxygen concentrator to breathe – a machine the size of a carry-on bag that hums quietly through the night.
—Katherine Asmussen, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
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, 15 Apr. 2026
Amid enthusiasm there is also concern At the river separating Oiapoque from French Guiana, a small port hums with boats linking Brazil, its neighbor and nearby communities.
—Gabriela Sá Pessoa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
At the river separating Oiapoque from French Guiana, a small port hums with boats linking Brazil, its neighbor and nearby communities.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
September 23 – October 22 Steady confidence hums beneath today’s plans.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2026
Yet, just three blocks away, the 181 Fremont tower hums with startups, artificial intelligence firms and new tenants snapping up space that was abandoned after Meta fled.
—Laura Waxmann, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2026
Your 12th House of Inner Worlds hums as the Moon grumbles at combative Mars in your philosophical 9th house, making private worries flare when big debates start circling.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 24 Mar. 2026
Music hums from cars, people linger in clusters, and no one seems to be getting gas.
—Ryan Nickerson, Houston Chronicle, 21 Mar. 2026
On most days, the children’s adventure garden at the Dallas Arboretum hums with the chatter of curious kids.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
The desert air in Phoenix, Arizona hums a little louder during NCAA Women’s Final Four weekend.
—Ciara Lucas, SELF, 4 Apr. 2026
Your neighbor might rely on an oxygen concentrator to breathe – a machine the size of a carry-on bag that hums quietly through the night.
—Katherine Asmussen, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hums
Noun
-
Honey is ready to bring love, purrs and playful cuddles to her forever home.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
An alarm that chimes instead of buzzes.—
Stephen Watson,
Robb Report,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The 15 seconds is displayed on the pitch clock, and umpires wear a communication device that buzzes when the clock strikes zero.—
Jay Cohen,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
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 World Bank’s climate strategy, which sets a climate lending target of 45%, expires in June, but discussions on a new plan are being relegated to whispers in corridors, The Guardian reports.—
Chloé Farand,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Pressed by rival camps, pursued by the political press corps, the claims were largely confined to unvetted corners of the internet until this week, when Swalwell’s campaign — knowing the whispers were getting louder — issued a public statement denying any wrongdoing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 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
Verb
-
This vast bundle of life and existence whirrs continually, creating the comforting harmonic tone that defines this place.—
Stephen Trimble,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hums. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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