variants
also whirrs
as in hums
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 whirrs
as in buzzes
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 whirs
Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
A lot of this stuff follows the same thread, often steeped in vintage synth drones, whirrs, and buzzes that evoke the turn-of-the-Eighties sci-fi futurism the first TRON movie embodied back in 1982.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirs
Noun
-
As Jarcovjáková travels from the former Czechoslovakia to Japan and West Berlin, navigating rejection and the lives of various lovers, the murmurs of voices, quiet footsteps and hums of crowded rooms accompany her striking black-and-white photography.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Yet something more complicated hums beneath the surface.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
By day the Ultramar pool bar offers refreshing beverages and light fare while at night the place buzzes with energy and music.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Beetle buzzes by with tiny pumpkins perched on top, and Xuanwu, a ground robot carrying a drone, walks ominously in the background.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
This has translated into freakishly unstable songs that spin from garish wubs and witch folk to lullaby-like purrs.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
6 Nov. 2025
-
But the other people who live nearby may not be so easily swayed by those adorable puppy dog eyes or precious purrs and might get very irritated.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whirs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirs. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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