as in hummed
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whirred
As a drone whirred overhead and hooded people spray-painted the building and its fixtures, the protestors advocated for more civilly disobedient methods.
—
Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
The four rotating arms on the Nebulaz ride whirred furiously like the inner workings of a clock — and made less noise than a ticking second hand on a watch.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
Off the usually tranquil shores of Arroyo and Guayanilla, beachgoers watched in disbelief as helicopters whirred and the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, appeared from nowhere.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
The base is a single can of black beans, whirred together in a food processor with taco seasoning or a quick pinch of whatever spices are around.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
The machines whizzed and whirred.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Fans whirred in all the rooms and often the sound of the air moving was the only sound Lucy heard.
—Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
The four rotating arms on the Nebulaz ride whirred furiously like the inner workings of a clock — and made less noise than a ticking second hand on a watch.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
Off the usually tranquil shores of Arroyo and Guayanilla, beachgoers watched in disbelief as helicopters whirred and the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, appeared from nowhere.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
The base is a single can of black beans, whirred together in a food processor with taco seasoning or a quick pinch of whatever spices are around.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
The machines whizzed and whirred.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Fans whirred in all the rooms and often the sound of the air moving was the only sound Lucy heard.
—Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirred
Verb
-
The laser-cutting machine hummed with life.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The nondescript industrial buildings once hummed away largely behind the scenes, powering the various facets of our online lives.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sacramento’s Railyards District buzzed with activity in recent weeks.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Texts from friends buzzed his phone.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Carlsson zipped a seam pass for Gauthier, which initially failed to connect.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The score was tied 2-2 in the final minute of the third period, when Connor McDavid zipped the puck cross-ice to Nathan MacKinnon, who found the back of the net.—
The Sports Desk,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirred. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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