as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
the steady thrum of the turbines in the power plant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 thrum
Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Copenhagen may be 5,200 miles away from Caracas, but the thrum of the helicopters that grabbed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will have been deafening in the Danish capital.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026
Tensions simmer throughout their convent visit, thrumming just barely below the surface.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Noun
The thrum comes through clearly in the soundscape of the market, a cacophony of live animals, merchants, shoppers and roving musicians.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Copenhagen may be 5,200 miles away from Caracas, but the thrum of the helicopters that grabbed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will have been deafening in the Danish capital.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
As the women built a thrumming rhythm from their drums and began to chant while others danced, the Hula Halau ‘O Nalua and ‘Ote’a ‘Api School of Polynesian Dance seemed to teleport from the interior of an industrial park in Fremont to a Hawaiian island.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026
Tensions simmer throughout their convent visit, thrumming just barely below the surface.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrum
Noun
-
The hotel is on a block next to a major road, but the noise is more of a distant city hum than a nuisance.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
-
Both of them suggest the guitarist Loren Connors leading the early roars of Earth, his intuitive way of navigating the instrument’s neck bolstered by a formidable wall of hum at his back.—
Grayson Haver Currin,
Pitchfork,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Two staffers next to me whispered to each other, catching up about their week off.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
And so someone might come past me and whisper over my shoulder.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Unlike at Shadden’s, the only mechanical purr is the brief rumble of a passing car.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
-
In its megacities and beyond, traffic is increasingly falling silent, the dull whir of the electric motor replacing the purr of an internal combustion engine.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Gaga hisses to her hair and makeup team after Priestly swans away.—
Nigel Smith,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
Mature geese have kept a close eye on the eggs, occasionally honking and hissing at those who have approached.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Those videos will land on other platforms, generating buzz for the tournament’s traditional coverage while furthering B/R’s efforts to establish itself as a place for tennis coverage.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
18 May 2026
-
The buzz of drones above, and then gunfire, the woodland and damaged houses around suddenly alive with the Ukrainian troops hidden in them, firing at the skies.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
His teammates murmur in agreement.—
Natalie Escobar,
NPR,
12 May 2026
-
But many questions went unanswered, frustrating many murmuring and grumbling attendees.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Everything at this Elmhurst flamepot is punched up, texture and flavor alike, from sighing-soft to tensile to snappy, and always hot-hot-hot.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
When placed in front of him, the child either cowers backward in fear and sighs with relief when it's turned off or uses the Force to deactivate it.—
Kirsten Acuna,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Most of us turn to mechanical fixes—air conditioners humming, ceiling fans whirring at full tilt.—
Nolan Lewis,
Architectural Digest,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Shadows and strange sounds can set imaginations whirring—from the guttural roar of a hunting lion to the giggling calls of a feasting hyena pack.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrum. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
