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
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
Tracy’s dialogue, though absent the staccato non sequiturs of the director’s earlier work, has a bracing nastiness; every visual flourish and every menacing thrum of the score, by Jerskin Fendrix, escalates the intensity of Stone and Plemons’s bravura showdown.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
For privacy and easy access to the gym and adults-only pool, request a room near the spa and away from the beachfront restaurant, which becomes a thrumming bar at night (this is Mykonos, after all).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Noun
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
Tracy’s dialogue, though absent the staccato non sequiturs of the director’s earlier work, has a bracing nastiness; every visual flourish and every menacing thrum of the score, by Jerskin Fendrix, escalates the intensity of Stone and Plemons’s bravura showdown.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
About 200 workers filled the sidewalk, the air thrumming with music, cowbells and drivers honking their horns in solidarity.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
For privacy and easy access to the gym and adults-only pool, request a room near the spa and away from the beachfront restaurant, which becomes a thrumming bar at night (this is Mykonos, after all).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrum
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
-
There was the low, constant hum of conversation, the clink of tea glasses.—
Barry Hoffner,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
July 23 – August 22 The horizon is whispering your next lesson.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Jones whispered for me and Dew to step away from the door.—
Josh Owens,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The production wears its metaphors lightly with a wink and a purr.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
-
On most days, the surf is loud enough to mask the steady purr of cars.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Carrie’s voice hisses in my ear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The site, which bubbled and hissed for decades, is still called the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Boyle’s most recent film, the Japanese-language horror film Never After Dark, premiered at SXSW to critical buzz and took home the Audience Award in the Midnighter section.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Located in the heart of the downtown buzz, this 70-room property is arguably one of the most luxurious places in town to soak up the sun, with a dreamy pool deck, a rooftop bar, and fresh cookies available nightly.—
Acacia Gabriel,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The remark drew a mix of gasps, murmurs and laughs from others in the room.—
Emily Chang,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Ludwig murmured, the mist outside the window mostly covering the mountain.—
Kendra Atleework,
Longreads,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
From that day forward, everyone sighed and said what a year.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In the series premiere of Netflix’s Vladimir, Rachel Weisz awakens from troubled sleep to a cascade of texts, sighs deeply, and addresses the camera with pleading eyes.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In this case, a genteel woman’s tradition is set against the sound of military helicopters whirring overhead.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Surely, Bobby Jones must be spinning like a rotisserie chicken in his final resting place, and while the co-founder of the stately club lies some 143 miles to the east of Amen Corner, the patrons should be able to pick up on the whirring noises if the wind’s blowing the right way.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrum. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
