variants
also whirr
as in hum
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
a whir coming from the refrigerator
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also whirr
as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
the hummingbird whirred as it hovered over a flower our tires whirred as we traveled over the rough road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whir
Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
In the quiet town of Shawnee, Oklahoma, the rapid whir of sewing machines fills one of the last surviving American garment factories.
—Jing Feng, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025
Lyndie Chiou, Quanta Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
Lohmann was an integral cog in an ever-whirring German feat of engineering that saw Bayern stride into a record-breaking 44 matches unbeaten between December 2021 and October 2024.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whir
Noun
Three descendants of one of those original colonies were startled by the whir of Captain Brett’s fan motor and, with Busby Berkeley synchronicity, dived from the bank into the muddy water.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
In the quiet town of Shawnee, Oklahoma, the rapid whir of sewing machines fills one of the last surviving American garment factories.
—Jing Feng, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
Every evening, Hofstadter would leave his calculator whirring.
—Lyndie Chiou, Quanta Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
Lohmann was an integral cog in an ever-whirring German feat of engineering that saw Bayern stride into a record-breaking 44 matches unbeaten between December 2021 and October 2024.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whir
Noun
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The Silver Hugo for Best Sound goes to SOUND OF FALLING for its ability to echo, in both its silences and thunders, the constant hum of secrets passed from one generation to the next in the apparent domestic quiet that both conceals and reveals.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
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In an instant, the ordinary rhythms of their lives — laughter, errands, the hum of home — were shattered.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of how cats purr.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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The purr of an engine was the pulse of performance – until a quiet revolution started taking shape under the surface.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Yet the chairman Ron Noades and Coppell heard whispers of transfer interest.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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For nearly a century, filmmakers have known that jewels speak a visual language of their own—each sparkle a whisper of glamour, danger, or desire—while the jeweler becomes co-director and the gem a co-star.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Popular drugs credited with shrinking waistlines and controlling blood sugar may also take the edge off alcohol’s buzz, according to a new study.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
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Disneyland Park While Disney Adventure World is getting most of the buzz in 2026, Disneyland Park is gearing up for a host of spectacular events next year, too.—
Megan duBois,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whir. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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