as in purrs
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
heard the burr of a distant engine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hums
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
the pitch burred past the batter's ear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burrs
Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
The fabric sheds burrs, dries quickly and wicks away moisture.
—Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2025
This depends on your specific manual coffee grinder, but if your grinder uses ceramic burrs, it’s meant for coffee beans only.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
There were so many sensations with me now, like burrs stuck to the hide of a passing animal.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for burrs
Noun
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This has translated into freakishly unstable songs that spin from garish wubs and witch folk to lullaby-like purrs.—
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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.—
Verb
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Miami hums as a warm-weather clearing house for Latin American taste and capital, part art fair, part duty-free fever dream with better coffee.—
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More than a century later, that idea still hums inside the company's workshop.—
Noun
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Go to Settings > Apps > Phone and toggle Haptics off to stop those subtle buzzes that can feel like extra notifications.—
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About halfway through our interview, Uchis’ phone buzzes.—
Noun
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When whispers of these new allegations began to receive national coverage, many outlets were cynical and tried to debunk them.—
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Normally, scent voices are mere whispers compared to the screams and angry shouts of humans, but in that section, certain sensitive plant species shrieked incessantly because of their proximity to plants that hindered their growth.—
Cite this Entry
“Burrs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burrs. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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