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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of whir
Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 3 Feb. 2025
The sounds playing throughout Bridgestone Arena were dystopian-sounding crackling, ominous hums and the eerie whirs of machinery as lights flickered onstage.
—Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 Sep. 2024
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2025
Focus is slow in general—the lens often shows a slight delay when driving from one subject to another and whirs loudly enough to hear in a quiet room.
—PCMAG, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whir
Noun
Sunday, June 8, 2025 Lake Como, Italy THE PARTY AT THE VILLA
A single chilling wail erupts from the grand ballroom on Palazzo Mella’s ground floor, cutting through the whir of the choppers above.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 3 Feb. 2025
The sounds playing throughout Bridgestone Arena were dystopian-sounding crackling, ominous hums and the eerie whirs of machinery as lights flickered onstage.
—Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 Sep. 2024
Verb
Watching hummingbirds whir around your garden is a true delight!
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2025
Focus is slow in general—the lens often shows a slight delay when driving from one subject to another and whirs loudly enough to hear in a quiet room.
—PCMAG, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whir
Verb
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President Trump wants to lower those rates to keep the economy humming despite the slowdown his far-reaching tariffs threaten to trigger.—
Laurent Belsie,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 Apr. 2025
-
The sun hums the rhythm, the moon sips the bassline.—
Katie Bain,
Billboard,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Saldana continues, as the kitties all purr in the background.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
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The frequency of a cat's purr, usually between 25 to 150 hertz, has therapeutic effects on a person's body and mind, according to an article from Inspira Health Network.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Nab the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones that wrap your ears in plush comfort while adaptive noise canceling dials the world down to a whisper at 21% off.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
22 Apr. 2025
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In Drama, there’s the second season of Squid Game, which returned with a whisper as compared to the blaring horns of its breakthrough first season.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In recent days, however, the buzz seems to be pointing toward him falling past the top three.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
22 Apr. 2025
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Barely a month after the final event and the buzz has only just begun to die down.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whir. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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