Synonyms of whirring

whirring

verb

present participle of whir

as in humming

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

• humming
• buzzing
• zipping
• whispering
• whizzing
• hissing
• droning
• zooming
• burring
• whistling
• murmuring
• sighing
• thrumming
• purring
• bumbling
• whishing
• chirring
• cooing
• rustling
• churring
• swishing
• wheezing
• fizzing
• whooshing
• sizzling
• curring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of whirring

Angela George The voting machines are whirring at a clip, which in turn makes the pace of the afternoon feel fast. — Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 8 July 2026

But something about the collective excitement of a reunion struck a chord, and the machine started whirring. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 30 June 2026

Inside, fans are whirring and a woman behind the cash register speaks on the phone in Korean. — Tomás Hill López-Menchero, New York Times, 25 June 2026

The production design closely resembled that of his recent Rolling Loud set and his in-progress Don’t Be Dumb tour, including a helicopter hanging from the top of the stage (its whirring blades could be heard between songs). — Drew Cohen, SPIN, 9 June 2026

Clanging cable cars still climb up and down the streets, although these days they’re joined by self-driving taxis, an ever-present reminder of the whirring tech scene. — Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026

Humming cooling systems, rumbling diesel generators and whirring fans can be heard continuously hundreds of feet around them, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, prompting reports from residents of headaches, vertigo, nausea, sleep disturbances, ear pain and hypertension. — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 4 June 2026

From branches above her is released a sudden shower of ash keys, which flutter downwards, whirring in circles, until their wild flight is put to a stop by meeting the water’s surface, where they are apprehended and whisked away downstream. — Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026

Cool blue-white LEDs lined the room’s windows, while yellow heavy-duty power outlets hung from the ceiling over rows of desks where students will learn how to maintain the servers whirring behind them. — Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 26 May 2026