as in purr
a monotonous sound like that of an insect in motion
we heard the hum of an outboard motor and a few minutes later the small craft came into sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hum
Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 11 Jan. 2026
The hum of polishing wheels bleeds through half-open doors.
—Parin Moradiya, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Tom Barnas, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
The machine that usually hums with ruthless efficiency looked broken, battered, and completely devoid of answers.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hum
Noun
Elevators in apartment blocks stopped working, trapping elderly residents in their homes, and people have become used to the loud hum of generators.
—Verb
More than a century later, that idea still hums inside the company's workshop.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for hum
Noun
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Geography and tragedy unite them, as does the purr of comfort inherent in their cooking.—
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This person was less than purr-fect.—
Verb
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Is your play area bursting at the seams?—
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Hill burst upon the local high school scene as a sophomore, earning Central Texas newcomer of the year honors in 2023 after rushing for 1,428 yards and 20 touchdowns.—
Verb
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In 2004, the show was rebranded as The Soup, giving a nod to its predecessor while also expanding further into the pop culture moments that had everyone buzzing.—
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By Elin McCoy, Bloomberg In a Brooklyn warehouse in early November, the 2025 New York Raw Wine fair was buzzing with drinkers hunting the latest in natural wine.—
Noun
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There have been political whispers in South Windsor since the November election about whether the decision disqualifying Amadasun was part of a Republican ploy to keep Democrats from achieving a council supermajority.—
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What did Britt Lower whisper to Grande?—
Verb
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From self-driving smart trailers with auto-dumping waste tanks to on- and off-road explorers that bulge out in every direction possible to maximize living space, some truly jaw-dropping and inspiring camper vans, travel trailers, large motorhomes and expedition trucks emerged in 2025.—
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According to John Hopkins Medicine, an aneurysm is a weakened or bulging artery wall, and coiling is a procedure used to block blood flow to the aneurysm.—
Verb
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College basketball coaches routinely fly out on the heels of an afternoon practice to scout a recruit, and zip back the next day.—
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The cleaning process includes hair-cutting scissors that zip across the roller brush.—
Noun
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Even Super Dog makes an appearance — cape, mask and all — ready to leap into action the moment a snack bag rustles.—
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High in the hills near the Myanmar border, Ban Rak Thai greets the morning with the smell of oolong and the soft rustle of tea leaves.—
Verb
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That chunk of my brain has already been activated and is whirring away.—
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As a drone whirred overhead and hooded people spray-painted the building and its fixtures, the protestors advocated for more civilly disobedient methods.—
Cite this Entry
“Hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hum. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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