buzz

1 of 2

verb

buzzed; buzzing; buzzes

intransitive verb

1
: to make a low continuous humming sound like that of a bee
2
b
: to be filled with a confused murmur
the room buzzed with excitement
3
: to make a signal with a buzzer
4
: to go quickly : hurry
buzzed around town in a sports car
also : scram
usually used with off
5
: to feel high especially from a drug

transitive verb

1
: to utter covertly by or as if by whispering
2
: to cause to buzz
3
: to fly fast and close to
planes buzz the crowd
4
: to summon or signal with a buzzer
also : to let in through an electronically controlled entrance
used with in or through
buzzed him in
5
dialectal, England : to drink to the last drop
get some more port whilst I buzz this bottleW. M. Thackeray

buzz

2 of 2

noun

1
: a persistent vibratory sound
2
a
: a confused murmur
b
c
: a flurry of activity
d
: fad, craze
e
: speculative or excited talk or attention relating especially to a new or forthcoming product or event
one of the few new shows that's getting good buzzTV Guide
also : an instance of such talk or attention
their first CD created a huge buzz
3
: a signal conveyed by buzzer
specifically : a telephone call
4
slang : high sense 4

Example Sentences

Verb Flies were buzzing around the picnic tables. The hall buzzed with excitement as the audience waited for the show to start. My mind is buzzing with ideas. The nurse buzzed the doctor who was on duty. She buzzed her secretary to say she was going out for lunch. Ring the bell when you arrive and someone will buzz you into the building. Let me buzz you out. Noun We heard the buzz of the bees as we walked through the garden. When the machine is turned on, it makes a quiet buzz. There was a buzz of voices in the hall as the audience waited for the show to start. What's the latest buzz about their marriage? The buzz is that she turned down the job because the pay was too low. There's been quite a buzz about the new movie. The team's new players are creating a buzz among baseball fans. There's been a lot of buzz about the new movie. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The first contestant to buzz in and guess correctly wins the point, and the contestant with the most points gets the chance to play for a grand prize of $5,000. Julia Maccary, Variety, 1 Mar. 2023 The move underscores how Netflix is increasingly doubling down on Korean content as fans worldwide continue to buzz over it. Michelle Toh, CNN, 16 Jan. 2023 There are reasons this conference expansion buzz, sparked by Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff visiting the campus this month, feels more real for SMU. Dallas News, 20 Feb. 2023 There are a lot of superstars at the Super Bowl who have buzz including Donna and Ed Kelce. CBS News, 10 Feb. 2023 Jennings revealed a category, read a single clue and the first player to buzz in and answer correctly would win. Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2022 So farmers release commercially reared bees by the thousands onto their fields, where the insects buzz along diligently and pollinate billions of dollars’ worth of crops every year. Tess Joosse, Scientific American, 28 July 2021 In this idyllic world, there are apparently no bugs to buzz around and interrupt everyone’s picturesque nature dates. Vulture, 25 July 2022 Such words generally don’t buzz around building a $108 million building that will feature multi-family housing and retail. Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 17 Jan. 2023
Noun
If the buzz around ChatGPT is any indication, artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. Parna Sarkar-basu, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 The stage inside the Pershing last night (March 15) in Austin, Tx., may have been small, but the buzz was loud during performances by Blondshell, Urban Heat, and others as part of SPIN’s Five Worlds party at South by Southwest, sponsored by Diageo. Andy O'connor, SPIN, 16 Mar. 2023 Many have said the buzz about the drug reflects the industry’s obsession with thinness. Sara Ashley O'brien, WSJ, 13 Mar. 2023 The nomination of several blockbusters for best picture aims to attract some buzz. Jonah Valdez, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2023 There is a buzz about the screen sector in homes, schools, and boardrooms. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 Mar. 2023 At the combine, though, all the buzz will be about his size measurements. Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2023 Smaller names like Oura and Whoop have drummed up some buzz for themselves by eliminating screens entirely and focusing on very specific metrics, while the line between smartwatches and most other fitness trackers has become increasingly blurry. Corey Gaskin, Ars Technica, 3 Mar. 2023 The buzz in the crowd — which was filled with a sea of orange and black — was minimal. oregonlive, 17 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buzz.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bussen, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of buzz was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near buzz

Cite this Entry

“Buzz.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buzz. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

buzz

1 of 2 verb
1
: to make a low continuous humming sound like that of a bee
2
: to be filled with a low hum or murmur
the room buzzed with excitement
3
: to send for or signal by means of a buzzer
4
: to fly an airplane low over

buzz

2 of 2 noun
1
: a sound of buzzing
2
a
: a signal given by a buzzer
b
: a telephone call

More from Merriam-Webster on buzz

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


A Good Old-Fashioned Quiz

True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY